Nearly 2/3 of Kingston and area residents support drug decriminalization, survey suggests

A survey by the Kingston region's public health unit found 63 per cent of respondents would support decriminalizing drugs, with some concerns over the potential community impact.

Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington (KFL&A) Public Health surveyed more than 1,800 people who live or work there to gauge community support for a decriminalization policy, which in Canada exists only in British Columbia.

Susan Stewart, the unit's director of community health and well-being, told CBC Radio's Ontario Morning she wasn't surprised by the results, which she described as "cautious optimism toward decriminalization."

The report points out "decriminalization" is not the same as "legalization." 

Decriminalizing drugs means individuals are not charged for having small amounts for personal use, the report said, while legalization means it would be legal to make, possess and sell drugs under a specific set of rules, similar to alcohol or cigarettes.

Under B.C.'s pilot project, adults aren't arrested or charged for possessing up to 2.5 grams of illegal drugs for personal use. That includes opioids, methamphetamine and cocaine. That exemption lasts until Jan. 31, 2026.

The KFL&A survey collected responses from people with lived experience, who made up just under half of the respondents. Stewart said there was a "concerted effort" to make sure those voices were heard.

She added that respondents with lived experience described how criminalization creates a "cycle of adversity" where people charged for drug possession struggle to find work or purchase a home due to their criminal record.

King's Town Coun. Gregory Ridge, whose district includes parts of Kingston's core, said the results are "encouraging."

In his view, an important piece of decriminalization is removing "that first offence" which can have a cascading impact on people's lives.

"What we're seeing here is that these punitive measures aren't working," Ridge said. "We need to take a new approach — one that's more compassionate and data-driven."

Concerns over community safety

On the flip side, 34 per cent of respondents said they were opposed to decriminalization. Top concerns included public safety, while others question the effectiveness of using taxpayer money to fund the program.

Stewart said decriminalization models in other parts of the world such as Portugal have led to decreased drug use.

"I would say to the community that their concerns have been heard and we understand their concerns," he added. 

Ridge said he's heard similar concerns from his constituents and that he's "not dismissive of them."

"If you have a negative experience with someone who has experienced psychosis as a result of substance use, that's a very frightening thing to happen," he said.

Ridge also said a holistic perspective is important. Furthermore, he said that in order to tackle the addiction crisis in Ontario, more funding is needed from the province to put toward mental health resources.

Decriminalization isn't enough, advocate says

Nicholas Boyce, a senior policy analyst with the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, said the survey results reflect how the pubic is realizing that "treating drug use as a health and social issue is a better approach than treating it as a criminal and moral one."

Boyce said decriminalization "does not address the toxicity of the unregulated drug supply … If people are still using toxic, poisonous drugs, they're at risk of overdose and death."

Because of this, Boyce said decriminalization should be coupled with "some sort of regulated drug supply."

Boyce also said a "proper decriminalization model" would involve scaling up social supports and moving resources away from law enforcement. That hasn't happened yet in B.C. or other provinces, he said.

"It's time for a real reset," Boyce said. "While we have a long way to go, moving to a health approach is likely a far better way of addressing this."

Stewart said the report gives the public health unit a barometer for next steps, which include reaching out to social services and the health care sector to understand the impacts of a decriminalization policy.

It was put together in April and May 2023 using an online survey and 10 focus groups. About three-quarters of the people it heard from said they were from Kingston.

The health unit covers a population of about 207,000 people.