The Leader of the BC Liberals says the NDP’s harm reduction policy for drug users in B.C. does not go far enough.

Andrew Wilkinson was speaking on NL Newsday, where he said the government has to do more to help get people off drugs entirely.

“British Columbians expect their government to provide a pathway for people to get off drugs and to get out of their addictions, and simply consigning people to harm reduction saying you can carry on status-quo for as long as you wish, we don’t think is good enough,” he said.

Wilkinson says the government’s current policy is leading to a miserable way of life for people who are supposedly benefiting from the help.

“And so what we have to do is recognize that there’s a spectrum of care that’s required,” Wilkinson noted. “A very small number of our citizens are going to require long term access to injectiable narcotics. But the majority of people who are using drugs, and especially injectiable drugs, we need to offer them a pathway to get off drugs completely.”

He adds it is not enough for the provincial cabinet to say, ‘here’s some modular houses, here is a bunch of needles for safe injection, carry on with it.’

Wilkinson adds the negative effects of the government policy like increased crime is being felt in communities like Maple Ridge, Nanaimo, and Vancouver.