On a recent trip to Kelowna, B.C., Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that his government is not considering the legalization of heroin or cocaine to address the overdose epidemic that is killing almost seven Canadians every day. The public may not realize that there are differences between the decriminalization of a drug, and the legalization of one. Let's differentiate between the two concepts.

Bloomberg via Getty Images Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks to media after the Federal Liberal Party caucus retreat in Kelowna, B.C., on Sept. 7, 2017.

Drug decriminalization means that a person will not be prosecuted or charged with a criminal offence for possessing an illegal drug. This implies something crucial: when you decriminalize a drug, you decriminalize the person using it. It means closing the prison cells that have disrupted so many lives and broken up so many families. Consider the words of Dr. João Goulão, the architect of Portugal's model of drug decriminalization, during his recent visit to Vancouver: "Decriminalization is important because drug users will no longer fear approaching [health-care] responders." Dr. Goulao also emphasized that drug decriminalization won't eliminate Canada's fentanyl problem, as decriminalization still means drugs will largely be purchased on the street, continuing the consequences of drug prohibition. This is where legalization and regulation are crucial. If demand for opioid drugs is handled by government in a legalized, low threshold, low-barrier setting, demand for unpredictable bootleg fentanyl plummets. Case in point would be the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control's (BCCDC) recent recommendation to distribute prescription hydromorphone (dilaudid) to protect those at risk of overdose. The federal government's approach has been tried and tested — a failure time and time again. In other epidemics, governments have distributed large-scale quantities of safe drugs to protect the population at risk. Take for example the H1N1 epidemic in British Columbia, which led to 1 million doses of antiviral drugs being distributed to the province's hospitals, clinics and community health centres. This overdose epidemic requires a similar rationale. During his recent visit to Kelowna, Prime Minister Trudeau went further to say that the government is "making progress" in reducing overdose deaths, while also admitting that the crisis is spreading across the country. In the prime minister's words, "border controls, the inspection of small packages, by working with our partners, whether it be the United States or China" is how the Canadian government is approaching this crisis. On the basis that overdose deaths are increasing in many parts of the country, including Ontario, very little progress has been made. What's more, the federal government's approach has been tried and tested — a failure time and time again.

THE CANADIAN PRESS Over $1 million worth of drugs, including flaps of deadly fentanyl destined for a Victoria drug trafficker's address, was seized by Victoria Police after being alerted by the Canada Border Services Agency.