We did it! Fantastic policy on Insite and Drug Policy Passed at Federal NDP Convention in Vancouver!

By Dana Larsen and Nicole Seguin, End Prohibition

This past weekend June 17-19 NDP members from across the country gathered for our federal NDP convention and 50th anniversary of the NDP.

Our End Prohibition members worked for months in advance gathering support for our marijuana and drug policy resolution in order to present it at convention and have it passed into NDP policy.

While our original policy was not passed, a significant portion was added to a resolution in support of Insite...and it was passed by an overwhelming majority of NDP members!

We owe a huge thank you to all our members and supporters that helped gather support for this resolution, and to NDP members for standing up for science-based drug policy and their incredible respect and admiration for Health Critic Libby Davies.

Incredible work everyone, please see the full policy below!

Be it resolved that the New Democratic Party supports the harm-reduction work of Canada's safe injection site, InSite, as part of the solution in addressing the spread of HIV/AIDS and incidences of drug overdose, and in increasing the number of users accessing rehabilitation and similar services.

Be it further resolved that the Party recognizes over twenty peer-reviewed studies showing that InSite is effective in saving lives, and affirms that such evidence should be used in shaping Canada's drug policy.

Be it further resolved that the Party calls on the federal government to stop ignoring this evidence and to stop spending taxpayer dollars in legal fees trying to shut down InSite.

[Originally part of the End Prohibition drug policy reform resolution:]

Be it further resolved that the federal NDP support a broad federal review of the impacts and harms caused by current drug prohibition policies, to select the best model for the government to implement a non-criminal, regulatory approach to substance use, based on reducing risk and harm, emphasizing prevention, public education, health promotion and safety.