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.