Has Portugal decriminalized drugs worked?
Portugal was not the first country to decriminalise some or all drugs, and it has not been the last. However, it is one of the most prominent and influential. The Portuguese model directly influenced the 2020 decriminalisation measure passed in Oregon, for example, as well as proposed decriminalisation in Norway.
Why did Portugal decriminalize all drugs?
“Most accounts of the Portugal experiment have focused on decriminalization, but decriminalization was part of a broader effort intended to encourage treatment,” Professor Laqueur said. In turn, the country made financial investments in harm reduction and treatment services.
When did Portugal decriminalize all drugs?
July 2001
In July 2001, Portugal decriminalized the personal use and possession of all illicit drugs.
Is Portugal the first country to decriminalize drugs?
But in 2001, Portugal took a radical step. It became the first country in the world to decriminalize the consumption of all drugs. At the height of the heroin crisis in the 90’s as many as 5,000 drug users lived on the streets of the Casal Ventoso neighborhood shown here, January 12, 2017.
Which country decriminalized all drugs?
Portugal
Portugal. In 2001, Portugal became the first European country to abolish all criminal penalties for personal drug possession, under Law 30/2000.
What countries have Decriminalised drugs?
A Quiet Revolution: Drug Decriminalization Policies in Practice across the Globe shows that countries and States as disparate as Belgium, Estonia, Australia, Mexico, Uruguay, the Netherlands and Portugal have adopted different models of decriminalization.
How did Portugal decriminalize drugs?
Portugal signed all the UN conventions on narcotics and psychotropic to date. With the 2001 decriminalization bill, the consumer is now regarded as a patient and not as a criminal (having the amount usually used for ten days of personal use is not a punishable crime) but repression persists.
What are the pros and cons of decriminalizing drugs?
Individuals with substance abuse problems are much more likely to find recovery in rehab than in jail. People completing treatment can become productive members of society much more easily than convicted felons. Violence related to drug trafficking is greatly reduced. Courts are freed up for other important work.
Are drugs decriminalized in Netherlands?
In the Netherlands, it is against the law to possess, sell or produce drugs. However, the Netherlands tolerates the sale of soft drugs in ‘coffee shops’. A coffee shop is an establishment where cannabis is sold subject to certain strict conditions, but no alcoholic drinks are sold or consumed.
How many countries have decriminalized drugs?
Over 25 countries around the world have decriminalized drugs to some degree, including Portugal, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, and Germany.
What drugs are legal in Portugal?
Portugal has not changed the legal status of any drugs. They all remain illegal, however, the offence for possession has been changed from a criminal to a civil one. Here is how the system works. Portugal decriminalised use and possession of all drugs in a way that moves the focus from criminal punishment to treatment.
What’s the difference between Legalised and decriminalised?
Decriminalisation. Decriminalisation takes away the status of criminal law from those acts to which it is applied. In contrast, legalisation is the process of bringing within the control of the law a specified activity that was previously illegal and prohibited or strictly regulated.