Victoria, BC – Today in the Legislature, Conservative MLA for Richmond-Queensborough and Shadow Attorney General, Steve Kooner, introduced the Drug Use Prevention Education in Schools Act, a common-sense bill to protect B.C. children from the dangers of drug use and addiction by mandating clear, consistent, and age-appropriate anti-drug education in all schools across the province.
“While this NDP government has normalized open drug use in our streets and playgrounds, British Columbians are demanding a different path for their children, one that promotes safety, responsibility, and hope,” said Kooner. “This bill is about drawing a clear line: our schools must be places where children learn to say no to drugs, not where silence or confusion reigns.”
The legislation requires:
1. A mandatory anti-drug curriculum in every public and independent school, developed within six months of the bill’s passage;
2. Educational content that emphasizes the serious health, social, and legal consequences of drug use;
3. Public displays and school sessions reinforcing anti-drug messages; and,
4. Annual reporting requirements to ensure compliance and transparency.
The bill comes as a direct response to the NDP’s failed decriminalization experiment, which has flooded communities with dangerous street drugs, left families devastated, and eroded public trust in the government’s ability to protect children.
“Let’s be clear: the only consistent message coming from this NDP government has been confusion,” said Kooner. “They’ve promoted ‘harm reduction’ while ignoring prevention. They’ve handed out taxpayer-funded drugs while cutting back on detox beds. And worst of all, they’ve let schools become silent bystanders.”
The Drug Use Prevention Education in Schools Act seeks to fill that void by restoring clarity and accountability to classrooms. It gives parents, teachers, and school boards the tools they need to confront this crisis at its root.
“This bill is a wake-up call—and a call to action,” said Kooner. “We will not sit idly by while the next generation is lost to overdose, addiction, and despair. It’s time to stand up for kids, empower families, and bring real prevention back to the conversation.”
The Conservative Party is urging all MLAs, regardless of party, to support this legislation for the sake of B.C.’s youth and the future of our province.
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