Advocates say the Manitoba government’s plan to detain people intoxicated with long-lasting drugs like methamphetamine at a Winnipeg detox facility for up to 72 hours could put marginalized people at greater risk.
A large group of more than 100 protesters gathered outside the Manitoba Legislative Building in downtown Winnipeg on Sunday afternoon, calling on the government to reconsider Bill 48, which increased the limit of how long a highly-intoxicated person can be detained from 24 hours to 72 hours.
Rally organizer Monica Ballantyne said the government made a “rushed decision” with little community consultation. She worries that people who use substances will experience withdrawal and die as a result.
“Being a person who’s had to sober up … been detained in cells where the person next to me didn’t make it through the night. For me, I just know it’s going to happen,” Ballantyne said.
72 Hours is not any kind of care it’s just punishment.
Exactly. It’ll be nothing but a death sentence for many.
There should be withdrawal management in a hospital setting if they want this law to happen
I work in social services and without outing myself completely I can say that I have intimate knowledge of these systems.
The number of detox beds that we have is approximately 20 for each gender (including non-binary). So we’re talking realistically 40 detox beds.
That is a complete fucking joke.
In some sense, I agree with a 72-hour detention, but not until we have all the other supports in place. Because just detaining somebody without wraparound services and a pathway to future healing, you’re just creating more destruction.