Drug Decriminalization in Portugal: Lessons for Creating Fair/Successful Drug Policy

[marduc]

Portugal took the controversial move of decriminalizing ALL drugs in 2001 (were it not for having to cater to pressures from the international community they would have pursued full on legalization and control, instead of the uncontrolled decriminalization).

The Cato institute commissioned a report on the effects of this 7 year long prohibition policy, and it has now been released.

From the conclusion of the report:

None of the fears promulgated by opponents of Portuguese decriminalization has come to fruition, whereas many of the benefits predicted by drug policymakers from instituting a decriminalization regime have been realized...

...By freeing its citizens from the fear of prosecution and imprisonment for drug usage,Portugal has dramatically improved its ability to encourage drug addicts to avail themselves of treatment...

...The Portuguese have seen the benefits of decriminalization, and therefore there is no serious political push in Portugal to return to a criminalization framework. Drug policy-makers in the Portuguese government are virtually unanimous in their belief that decriminalization has enabled a far more effective approach to managing Portugal’s addiction problems and other drug-related afflictions.Since the available data demonstrate that they are right, the Portuguese model ought to be carefully considered by policymakers around the world.

Full text of the report available here:

"Drug Decriminalization in Portugal: Lessons for Creating Fair and Successful Drug Policies" by Glenn Greenwald (Cato Institute: White Paper)

While this is not a study of legalization, it does show that sensible policies are not the end of the world, and a runaway freight train towards a nation full of drug addled people. 7 years of decriminalization have been a resounding success for Portugal. Just imagine the success if it were actually legal, and controlled instead of just decriminalized. Although Portugal is resoundingly in favor of their policy, there is still one facet that it does not address.. the sale of drugs is still unregulated, uncontrolled, and in the hand of criminals. Full on legalization would establish the one thing that a policy of decriminalization is still lacking.. control.