Defining feasible and realistic policy objectives for the decriminalization of personal possession of drugs

BACKGROUND: In January 2023, British Columbia (BC), Canada implemented a three-year pilot project decriminalizing personal possession of selected illicit substances. The pilot ended in January 2026 with government officials stating that the policy did not deliver the results they had "hoped" for. While a range of theoretical rationales are cited to justify drug decriminalization, there is limited empirical research examining what policy objectives decriminalization can realistically achieve. METHODS: We conducted 16 semi-structured interviews between November-December 2021 pre-policy implementation, with experts/key interest-holders, including people with lived experience, law enforcement representatives, and policymakers, to identify feasible and realistic objectives of drug decriminalization. A thematic analysis was conducted using inductive and deductive approaches. RESULTS: The most feasible and realistic objectives of decriminalization were identified as: reducing contact with the criminal justice system for people who use drugs; reducing police seizures for personal possession and related harms; and reducing stigma. Other secondary objectives included: improving the health and well-being of people who use drugs; reducing racial disparities in enforcement of simple possession; and increasing efficiency within the criminal justice system. Notably, measurably reducing overdose deaths was articulated as an inappropriate and impractical objective of drug decriminalization. CONCLUSIONS: Findings underscore that realistic and feasible policy objectives of decriminalization are relatively narrow in scope and do not include measurable reductions in overdose fatalities. Policy objectives identified offer a practical and mechanistically grounded foundation for policymakers to refine decriminalization approaches and ensure evaluations focus on outcomes that accurately reflect the intended scope and function of the policy.