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At a closed-door meeting, Vernon council has opposed a move from the provincial government requesting that personal amounts of illicit drugs be decriminalized.

Councillors voted five to one authorizing the Mayor to write to the province urging it not to remove criminal penalties for people who possess small amounts of hard drugs.

But why Vernon council voted against a move to decriminalize drugs remains a mystery, and while the resolution is now public, the reasons for how it came about aren't known.

While in camera meetings are normally reserved for discussions about land deals, legal matters and human resources issues, Vernon council used part of its Nov. 8 closed session to discuss the drug decriminalization issue.

City of Vernon chief administrative officer Will Pearce defended the move telling iNFOnews.ca that the regulations allow councils to discuss policing matters in camera. He said the item was part of the in camera agenda at the request of Vernon North Okanagan RCMP Supt. Shawna Baher, who wanted the opportunity to speak "frankly" and to share her professional opinion.

Because the meeting was in camera it can only be speculated what Supt. Baher's professional opinion is, although the resolution council ultimately drafted asked the province not to pursue drug decriminalization.

The resolution stated that in the absence of more investment in treatment facilities and a safe drug supply, the move may result in an increase in the open use of drugs in public spaces and reduce positive engagement between police and individuals in need of support. The resolution says the move could result in the increased use of tainted drugs and a reduction of referrals to addictions professions. It also goes on to say that there may be a "strong public backlash" at the local level with "few or no tools" to assist those in need.

"Decriminalization alone will not resolve the current crisis or significantly reduce overdose deaths without an immediate and significant increase in services and supports for persons with substance abuse disorders," the resolution reads.

The resolution doesn't specify what the Vernon RCMPs position is on the issue.

Pearce said local municipalities could experience the brunt of open drug use if legalized in public spaces.

"Police services will have no legitimate means to prevent open public use. Interesting that they can deal with open liquor consumption… but not (possibly) heroin use," he said in an email.

The topic of drug decriminalization comes after the province requested an exception from the federal government to remove criminal penalties for people who possess small amounts of illicit drugs for personal use.

Councillor Kelly Fehr was the only voice of opposition against the resolution.

Vernon councillor Scott Anderson voted in favour of the resolution.

"The act of decriminalizing it doesn't fix the problem," Coun. Anderson told iNFOnews.ca.

Coun. Anderson said that while Portugal's decriminalization move is often heralded as a success it went along with a massive expansion of treatment centres and mandatory treatment which isn't the case in B.C.

Advocates for decriminalization claim that looking at addiction as a public health issue and not a criminal one reduces social isolation, stigma and fear.

Coun. Anderson doesn't agree.

"When we do something like this it sends a message not only to the addicted community but to kids and parents and the entire society... (that) if something is decriminalized, by virtue of it being decriminalized, it must be OK," he said. "And that's not a message I believe."

Coun. Anderson wouldn't discuss the in camera nature of the meeting, but did add, "I would like us to be as open as possible."

Statistics released today, Nov. 9, from the B.C. Coroners Service shows that there have been 333 deaths due to suspected illicit drug toxicity in August and September this year. The total number of British Columbians who have died this year due to illicit drug toxicity is 1,534.

Vernon Mayor Victor Cumming, councillor Fehr, and Supt. Baher were not immediately available before press time.

READ MORE: Drug decriminalization isn't radical, it's already here in the Thompson-Okanagan

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