Canadian Drug Policy Coalition

We need change. Our current approach to drugs is killing people and hurting communities. To end the drug poisoning crisis and support communities where we can all thrive, we must change our drug policies.  

We are committed to a future that is safe, healthy and just. Imagine drug policies and legislation rooted in evidence, human rights, social inclusion and public health. That's our vision – a society where everyone – whether they use drugs or not – can access safety and well-being.

Join us. To build a society that truly reflects our shared values, we need to change the public conversation and build policy grounded in compassion and evidence.  

Unregulated drugs have killed more than 40,000 people across Canada since 2016. Thousands of families and communities have been left to grieve their loved ones’ preventable deaths, while thousands more remain at risk. Making drugs illegal has only made them more dangerous, while doing nothing to restrict their availability. Under drug prohibition, illicit drugs have become stronger and more adulterated, driving a staggering increase in drug poisoning deaths.  

 Punitive drug laws do more harm than help, especially for people experiencing poverty and racialized people. We are in a drug policy crisis today because of laws first created more than a century ago, designed to control Indigenous, racialized and working-class communities. Our laws and policies continue to drive and perpetuate disproportionate harm. A criminal record can block opportunities for jobs, housing and education. Fear of repercussions can stop people from calling 9-1-1 during an overdose, or seeking supports, healthcare and treatment. Our governments spend billions of dollars every year on criminalizing people who use drugs. We could use that money to invest in safe, just and healthy communities. 

We must transform these policies for the collective well-being of our communities. 

The Canadian Drug Policy Coalition works to:

• Produce and advance constructive policy recommendations for government and policymakers 
• Build partnerships with people and organizations working in our three areas of focus to support safe, inclusive communities   
• Communicate clear information and analysis to counter stigma and change the narrative around people who use drugs 
• Foster productive dialogue, education and action within civil society

Explore our proposed pathways forward: Decriminalization, Legal Regulation, and Human Rights.

Prohibition on these lands dates back to laws first created more than a century ago, designed to control and exclude Indigenous and racialized people. The Indian Act, the Opium wars, and the surge in anti-Chinese and anti-Japanese racism in the early 20th century. Despite surface-level reforms, current drug policies continue to drive disproportionate harm on Indigenous, Black, racialized, disabled and working-class communities.