‘They want heroin injection sites!’ US lawmakers ‘impressed’ by Vancouver’s ‘disastrous’ drug policy
US lawmakers were left inspired following a recent visit to Vancouver despite the city’s “disastrous” drug policies, a commentator has claimed.
Jason Rantz joined Patrick Christys on GB News America to discuss the fentanyl crisis plaguing America, with states like Oregon majorly affected.
With lax drug policies imposed in a bid to bolster rehabilitation support, Rantz believes US policymakers could be eyeing up ways to double down on their approach to the drug crisis.
The Conservative radio host is worried that progressive lawmakers are unable to view places like Vancouver, Canada as cautionary tales.
“This was a perfect place to look at and say this is clearly not going to work”, he said.
“Yet American progressive lawmakers went to Vancouver, they witnessed what I witnessed when I was down there and they came back saying, ‘oh yeah, we need to do heroin injection sites.
“They were impressed by what’s been going on there and that’s been a total disaster.”
Patrick Christys waded into the discussion to detail his “shock” during a trip to Vancouver, a city which he claims resembled a “hellscape” as rife drug use plagued the streets.
“That is heralded as a victory for liberal drug policy”, he said.
“I’ve never seen anything like it. I hope we don’t see the like over here [UK].”
Canada has adopted a policy of leniency for those caught with the possession of hard drugs for personal use.
British Columbia imposed a law last year that sees adults aged 18 and over not prosecuted if they are caught with less than 2.5 grams of hard drugs, including heroin, morphine, fentanyl and cocaine.
Instead, users are offered information on social programs and treatment, if they request it.
Oregon in the US has adopted a similar policy, with Jason Rantz arguing the drug crisis has been exacerbated as a result.
“On the radical left, they argue this is about reducing the stigma”, he said.
“I don’t want to reduce the stigma. I want people to feel as if doing drugs and being an addict is not what is best for them, so they actually get help.
“There is zero evidence that has been presented that suggests taking away the stigma actually gets them to stop using drugs at the end of the day.
“If they have some hurt feelings just for a bit, but we saved their life, I’m okay offending them.”