opium stigmatization

Exploring Canada’s racist history of drug prohibition

By: Olivia Visser, Staff Writer Content warning: anti-Asian racism, anti-Indigeneity, white supremacy, xenophobia, drugs, and drug-related death This month, BC set out to be Canada’s first province to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of drugs starting January 2023. The decision is a landmark step towards freedom for many British Columbians, but we can’t forget the insidious history of racial discrimination that characterizes Canada’s drug policy. Shila Avissa and Cherlyn Manderson-Cortes addressed this history in their May 27 seminar, “Railroads, Riots and Reefer: A Brief History of How Drug Prohibition Shaped the Early Asian Immigrant Experience.” Presented by SFU faculty…

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