Thank you for your question, Ms. Gazan.
Yes, we know that research demonstrates that the impact of the criminalization of substance use not only leads to deterring people—particularly marginalized, vulnerable people, including women, trans women and non-binary folks—from seeking care, but it also delays access to care and further pushes them underground, where they have fears of arrest, fears of criminalization and fears of child apprehension.
The system that surrounds criminalization actually has a ripple effect that is worse. CMHA is advocating for a nationwide approach to decriminalization to respond to that.