The government of Canada is being asked to change legislation to decriminalize drug possession charges.
Mike Serr is with the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and says too may people are dying from opioid overdoses.
Serr stresses the problem is a significant public safety and health issue.
Serr says less than two people are murdered on average in Canada every day, but about 11 people die of overdoses, so something needs to be done.
The report from the CACP calls for increased access to healthcare and treatment as well as social services improvements to divert people struggling with substance use or addiction away from the criminal justice system.
This would apply to people possessing a small amount of illicit drugs for personal consumption.
Association President Adam Palmer says legislation has to be changed at the federal level and he thinks the Trudeau government has, in the past, been very open to their recommendations.
