Support. Don’t Punish: Contact Your MPP

Write your MPP to tell them why Support. Don’t Punish. is important! You can download our printable PDF or doc email templates, or copy and paste the email below. Find your MPP and help them understand the youth voice and sensible drug policy!

Dear ______________ ,

As one of your constituents in the _________________ riding, I am writing to talk about the international Support. Don’t Punish. campaign. Although the global day of action was on June 26th, the impact of the Support. Don’t Punish. campaign effects our society every day, throughout Canada. I call on you to support better drug policies that prioritize health and human rights. We need our MP’s like you to promote drug policy reform and help change laws and policies that impede access to harm reduction interventions. This is what Support. Don’t Punish. is all about, and there’s potential to create actual change in drug policy – with your help.

Here is a brief list of issues that we feel are in need of immediate attention:

• The continued prohibition of cannabis has an incredibly negative effect on society, and especially youth. Our government promised legalization, but we keep seeing the effects of criminalizing users.
  See CSSDP’s press release here: https://tinyurl.com/jse8kwq
• Fentanyl, extremely potent opioid, has dramatically increased overdose deaths. Making lifesaving medication like naloxone more accessible and allowing for testing the purity level of street drugs can help end avoidable and preventable deaths.
  See the HIV Network and CDPC policy brief here: https://tinyurl.com/zjkygpg
• Supervised consumption services are health services that provide a safe, hygienic environment where people can use pre-obtained drugs under the supervision of trained staff. Safe Injection Sites, essential to limiting the effects of problematic drug use, are extremely difficult to open because of Bill C2, the Respect for Communities Act.
  See the CDPC publication here: https://tinyurl.com/gupwvtg

Problematic drug use in our society is primarily a health issue, not a criminal justice issue. Drug policy should be focused on human rights, harm reduction and scientific evidence. Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy is working on local and national levels to draw attention to the problems with our current drug laws, and especially their impact on students and youth, like me.

If you could please respond with your opinions on drug policy in general, the effects of prohibition and your views on safe injection sites, that would be a really useful and appreciated way to start a discussion on how we can help our society move towards more sensible drug policies that help those that use drugs in problematic ways and offer sensible solutions for society that ensure education, harm reduction and support are accessible for all drug users.

Your Name Here