Madam Speaker, let me begin by thanking the hon. member for her question. I hope no one will mind if I give my response in English.
Thank you for the opportunity to address the concerns raised by the member for Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d'Orléans—Charlevoix on the very serious issue of the decriminalization of drugs.
Our government is deeply concerned about the worsening opioid crisis in our country. We have responded by making significant new investments, enacting new legislation and fast-tracking certain regulatory actions.
We are committed to an approach to drug policy that respects evidence-based decision-making, not decision-based evidence-making. While we are aware that decriminalization seems to be working in certain other jurisdictions, further study is required to determine if such an approach is workable here in Canada, because the circumstances here are, in fact, different.
To be clear, and for the benefit of my colleagues present tonight, our government is not looking at decriminalizing or legalizing all drugs. It is very important that we keep working toward our common goals and that we keep talking about any and all evidence-based responses that could help reverse the trend of the opioid crisis in Canada. This includes helping Canadians obtain greater access to medically proven treatments that actually help overcome problematic substance abuse.
To this end, earlier this spring, our government removed regulatory barriers to accessing diacetylmorphine, also know as prescription grade heroin, and methadone for the treatment of opioid use disorder. These changes are going to help patients access pharmaceutical grade heroin for treatment outside a hospital setting, such as in substance use disorder clinics. This will allow patients to balance their daily responsibilities with their treatment. It will also allow health care practitioners to prescribe and administer methadone treatment without needing to apply for an exemption from the federal law.
We also have put in place a mechanism to import foreign authorized drugs not approved in Canada to address urgent public health needs. Drugs used to treat opioid use disorder were among the very first to be added to the importation list of drugs for an urgent public health need.
Treatment facilitated through this new mechanism is going to help people with substance use disorders reduce risks associated with illegal drugs and lead more stable lives. Despite these regulatory changes, any drug used for treatment that is also a controlled substance would continue to be subject to all the requirements of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
The government is going to continue to provide Canadians with the most up-to-date and evidence-based information to enable them to make healthy choices and maintain healthy lifestyles. The current opioid crisis has had devastating impacts on Canadians and the communities in which we live.
We know that this is an incredibly complex situation that cannot be solved by any one organization or level of government acting alone. We remain committed to working with partners across the entire country, using all available methods, to address this severe public health crisis. We also remain open to hearing from domestic and international experts about health-based approaches to preventing and treating problematic substance use, and we continue our efforts in a way that is comprehensive, compassionate and evidence-based.
