Portugal decriminalises drugs!

[Dasquian Belargic]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8106689.stm


In 2001, the Portugese government decriminalised recreational drugs including heroin and cocaine in an attempt to reduce the number of hard drug users in the country. Eight years later, Claudia Hammond visited Lisbon to see whether the change in the law had been effective.

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They are still illegal, but a person caught with less than 10 days' supply is not considered a criminal, but a patient. Instead they appear before a Dissuasion Commission.

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The whole idea is that even though the commission has the power to sentence someone to community service or even confiscate their driving licence, it looks and feels nothing like a court.

The panel assesses each person and decides whether they would benefit from going to a treatment centre.

The idea is to bring the subject of drugs into the open and that certainly seemed to be the case.

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And the results? Fears that Portugal would become a haven for drug tourists have not come true and the number of deaths from drugs has decreased.

The secretary of state for health told me it has been a great success, with police figures suggesting that the use of every drug has either gone down or remained stable, apart from cocaine which has recently become fashionable.

In Portugal just 8.2% of people have tried cannabis at least once, compared with 42% in the U.S. But some argue that not enough figures are available to get the whole picture.

An interesting read, to say the least. I had no idea that this decriminalisation had even taken place!

[Xavier Synik]

Personally not sure about the decriminalization of harder drugs like heroine and cocaine, but stuff like weed and shrooms... yeah definitely.

[stevenvdb]

Sounds similar to some other measures i've seen done in Britain, France and Netherlands. (Though with the privatize-everything, including healthcare (great stars above, even Thatcher wouldn't do that),right-winger sorts (though Labour, the Lib Dems are being batty and wishy-washy as well and not standing up on these issue) now in power in the Netherlands, the land scape there looks to be permanently altered. Oh man. :( You wouldn't believe the crap going on..)

Decriminalization is somewhat different technically than legalization, of course and is a bit of a sticky issue. It is typically done to try to sooth and placate the more moralistic element of a society as well as to move punishment away from mere possession, within certain limits, while still giving legal authorities discretion in prosecuting large-scale (whatever arbitrary limit that is) dealers and the organized crime cartels often connected. That is by taking such a stand, government isn't saying it's ok to take drugs, which might be taken as an endorsement, but that the individual is responsible for their own behavior.

It sort of works. By decriminalizing the individual, this allowsw them to get the help they need, if they are willing, without fear of winding up in prison. It's works certainly better than locking everyone up like in certain countries anyways.. where prison and punishment is an industry unto itself. I'm looking at you ole stars and stripes. :/

There is a darkside of course, especially if the government in question is any way connected with the cartels such as exist in SE Asia and South America. Though, I would argue that that also exists with the pharmaceutical companies and certain other nations and might actually be in all be worse. ;)

[Corell Capstan]

Something like this happened in Britain? o_o

[stevenvdb]

Well, not to such an extent of decriminalizing drugs themselves, but you might have heard of the needle-exchange program that was tried in a few areas, but was quickly shot down from going national, to curb many of the associated problems with dirty needles, etc.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

I just read about this. Very interesting to say the least.

I've always felt that if say, weed and X were legalized, the government could make itself some money by controlling it in the way that it does alcohol and tobacco, and possibly help to stave off some of the financial problems we're facing as a country *shrug* Just my opinion though. I'm not very knowledgeable on that kinda stuff, so I may be talking out of my ass.

[Darth Turbogeek]

Personally not sure about the decriminalization of harder drugs like heroine and cocaine, but stuff like weed and shrooms... yeah definitely.


New evidence is showing that weed and mushrooms are in no way "soft" at all. Especially weed - it's a hell of a lot worse than advocates of legalisation would have you belive and they are a hell of a lot more additive too.

Australia is decriminalised for use, not sale. That makes sense and soem small possession is allowed.

[Morgan Evanar]

Show me a credible study where weed is anything but psychologically addictive and I will print it out and eat the first page.

[Darth Turbogeek]

Show me a credible study where weed is anything but psychologically addictive and I will print it out and eat the first page.




4. The addiction myth
Researchers at the CAH and NDARC said there is a dependent syndrome associated with marijuana.
"There's a withdrawal when a daily user stops using they experience cravings for cannabis and become obsessed with finding it," said Professor Patton. "The manifestations appear to be psychological: users feel irritable and get into conflict."
"We're beginning to understand the receptors affected by marijuana. The receptors found in the brain are involved in a whole range of physiological functions including pain, lethargy and appetite. Some of these also explain the beneficial qualities of marijuana and its use in treating complaints such as nausea."
Dr Degenhardt said daily users of marijuana for periods of months or years can become addicted and suffer withdrawal symptoms such as night fits, irritation and headaches when quitting.


CAH - Centre for Adolescent Health, Royal Melbourne Hospital
NDARC - NSW Health Department's Centre for Education, so both not exactly the standard BS detox adverts. You can begin the research from there - the biggest issue however is that studies are only really beginning into the drug's effects. You also may want to scroll through the Health report archives on ABC News Radio.



Now one point that is clear is that the younger you are before hitting a joint, the more likely your brain will rewire and for you to become addicted, which is like any other addictive substance. If I was going to have a hit, it would be very unlikely to affect me as my brain is pretty much done with wiring itself, altho that's not to say it cant do it.