Vernon city council rejects motion to decriminalize drug possession

Photo: City of Vernon

A Vernon councillor’s motion that the city publicly support decriminalizing simple drug possession was voted down Monday by council.

Coun. Kelly Fehr’s comprehensive motion included a request that the federal government develop an overdose action plan, which includes consideration of reforms like a safe supply of pharmaceutical alternatives and decriminalization.

“This is strictly a motion in response to an overdose crisis that is a poisoned drug supply crisis,” said Fehr. “We have people in our community – young people and old – that dabble in drugs that have been dying.”

In 2020, 1,548 people died of drug overdoses in B.C.

Fehr said the motion is for people like 28-year-old Mehgan Parrotta, who died of a drug overdose in Vernon during a relapse after being two years clean of heroin.

Fehr’s motion also directed staff to have discussions with local agencies on how the city could help. And it asked the federal government to declare the overdose crisis a national public health emergency.

Coun. Scott Anderson applauded Fehr for using his position to "punch above his weight." However, that was the extent of his support. Anderson spoke against the motion for about eight minutes.

“I tried really hard to find something I could support in this motion, but I can’t,” he said.

Anderson said council doesn’t need to burden municipal taxpayers with funding for a provincial responsibility.

He did not support declaring a public health emergency, as that grants the federal government “vast powers – almost dictatorial powers – in an emergency.”

As for decriminalization, Anderson was firmly against.

“What impact would decriminalization have on society?” he asked.

Anderson questioned what message passing a pro-decriminalization motion would send to Vernon citizens and children. He also argued against the de-stigmatization of drugs.

Anderson compared decriminalization to cannabis legalization.

“Cannabis use shot up by almost a million Canadians in all groups,” he said. “Will the same happen with hard drugs? A million new pot smokers is one thing, but a million new addicts is a catastrophe.”