Portugal’s Drug Policies pay off, US eyes lessons. 12/26/2010
Drugs in Portugal are still illegal. But here’s what Portugal did: It changed the law so that users are sent to counseling and sometimes treatment instead of criminal courts and prison. The switch from drugs as a criminal issue to a public health one was aimed at preventing users from going underground. Portugal with an estimated 100,000 people — an astonishing 1 percent of its population — were addicted to illegal drugs. So, like anyone with little to lose, the Portuguese took a risky leap: They decriminalized the use of all drugs in a groundbreaking law in 2000. Now, the United States, which has waged a 40-year, $1 trillion war on drugs, is looking for answers in tiny Portugal, which is reaping the benefits of what once looked like a dangerous gamble. White House drug czar Gil Kerlikowske visited Portugal in September to learn about its drug reforms, and other countries — including Norway, Denmark, Australia and Peru — have taken interest, too. Post by Mary.
DadOnFire 
5 comments
Comments feed for this article
March 2, 2011 at 6:28 pm
Tom at Recovery Helpdesk
I had not heard about the Drug Czar’s visit to Portugal. I’d like to hear any info anyone may have about what the Portugal experience has been with decriminalization. Fascinating stuff!
March 2, 2011 at 8:57 pm
Dadonfire
Yes – this subject deserves exposure and I am interested in digging more into it. Related to that topic, I would like to add that I am also regretful of the fact that Senator Webb of Virginia is not running again, as he initiated the criminal justice commission in 2009 and just reintroduced it 2011 as it was blocked in Senate. I am anxious to see the results of this. That is another subject worth an digging into. Stay tuned and thanks for sharing. Webb’s link http://webb.senate.gov/issuesandlegislation/criminaljusticeandlawenforcement/Criminal_Justice_Banner.cfm
March 3, 2011 at 6:40 pm
susan lea
I am also sad to see that Sen Webb is leaving office. His is a voice of reason in Washington. I would like to see the U.S. follow the example set by Portugal but we would need to do it right. We HAVE to provide real treatment to addicts and not just play politics with the issue.
It’s too easy to decriminalize drugs and then lack the funding for treatment centers. We already have many alcoholics wandering the streets. And we have plenty of homeless mentally ill citizens. I don’t want to see the states and counties open the jails and throw addicts onto the street and then conveniently declare that they’re broke.
The savings to society of providing treatment instead of incarceration would be huge. But I know how politics can get into the mix and create a disaster. If an addict is in jail, he/she is at least in a place that’s reasonably safe.
We as a society need to change our thinking about what addiction is. It’s just not OK for so many people to suffer and have nowhere to turn.
March 3, 2011 at 9:40 pm
Dadonfire
What would it take for legislators to introduce bills to shift jail function to partial rehab use and could that work? With minor retraining and re-focus of mission, we could make our over incarceration into a win-win formulae. I’ve been watching addicts in action for a long time and I can see it. many of them need to be away from temptation. Very little is said about post acute withdrawal syndrome and related dual demon of depression and mental illness. America wants to jail many and there is a way to satisfy the prison lobby and help people at the same time with maybe no increase in taxes. Its possible.
March 5, 2011 at 8:22 pm
Barbara
Thanks as always for keeping me in the know. I am going to share this with Luke Whyte (see link below). He’s going to interview me when he gets down here about my experiences with the CDCR (prison system).
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/28/voices-of-justice-luke-whyte-california-corrections-department_n_827472.html)