Federal Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health Carolyn Bennett speaks during a news conference after British Columbia was granted an exemption to decriminalize possession of some illegal drugs for personal use, in Vancouver, on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. Those in B.C. who possess up to 2.5 grams of illicit drugs for personal use will not be arrested or charged starting Jan. 31 as part of an exemption from Canada's drug laws following a record number of overdose deaths. The three-year exemption will apply to drug users 18 and over and include opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck