I was introduced to the portuguese experience during a visit to the country in january 2011. Findings from the 201718 crime survey for england and wales, 26 july 2018. Pt portugal, the country the national coordination the national plan for the reduction of addictive behaviours and dependencies. Crime, portugals policy has reportedly not led to an increase in drug tourism. Preface by fernando henrique cardoso1 drug policy in portugal is a lucid, penetrating and timely study about the impact of drug decriminalization on peoples health and public security. Portugal treats addicts as patients, not as criminals, after 15 years of decriminalised drug policy. Since it decriminalised all drugs in 2001, portugal has seen dramatic drops in overdoses, hiv infection and drug related crime. Drug decriminalisation in portugal united nations office on drugs. The articles featured in this issue provide foundational data to inform active reconsideration. It considers national strategies and action plans, the legal context within which they operate and the. There were fears portugal might become a drug paradise, but that simply didnt happen.
Today, ten years later, while drug use is still a problem in australia, changes in policy. The drug strategy 2017 sets out how the government and its partners, at local, national and international levels, will take new action to tackle drug misuse and the harms it causes. Its history, its success and its future show all authors. With a single currency, open borders, and no central european union policy to deal. There are many vested interests and pressures on policy makers.
Transform drug policy foundation is an independent charity that works to change the way drugs are controlled. We investigate especially the impact of the policy change on the price of illicit drugs. This first profile describes the national drug policy of portugal, a policy that has attracted significant attention recently in the media and in policy debates. Portugal drug policy is problematic and unsuitable for australia. This contention is based primarily on the findings published in a 2009 cato institute report. For over 50 years, the war on drugs has harmed communities, increased the risk to individuals and gifted a multibillion dollar trade to organised crime. This study is an empirical assessment of the impact of the drug decriminalization policy followed by portugal in july, 2001. National drug policy 2015 to 2020 ministry of health. Drug policy in portugal is a lucid, penetrating and timely study about the impact of.
It seeks to publish material on the social, political, legal, and health contexts of psychoactive substance use, both licit and illicit. The beckley foundation drug policy programme is a member of the international drug policy consortium idpc. The benefits of decriminalizing drug use by artur domoslawski. This study is an empirical assessment of the impact of the drug decriminalization policy followed by portugal in july 2001, on the price of illicit drugs. Drug decriminalisation transform drug policy foundation. Swedish drug policy a balanced policy based on health and human rights swedens drug policy has been firmly established for a long time, both across political boundaries and with the support of the riksdag, but also through strong support from the general public. Portugals decriminalized drug policy has been cited as proof that softening drug laws does not increase illicit drug use or the consequences of drug use. In 2012, the total of 1,636 drug misuse deaths was the lowest number recorded since 2004. International pioneers such as the netherlands, canada and portugal have seen encouraging results, with reduced levels of drug harm and without the increases in use feared from decriminalisation. The government will use the policy to prioritise its resources and assess the effectiveness of the actions taken by government agencies and frontline services. Hanna siemaszko open society foundations, 2011 10 artur domoslawski, drug policy in portugal. A global network promoting objective and open debate on drug policy. Since portugal ceased criminalizing drug use, the results have. Its purpose was to reduce the number of new hivaids cases in the country, as it was estimated around half of new cases came from injecting drug use.
Pdf uses and abuses of drug decriminalization in portugal. Portugals decriminalization approach in tackling drugs. This first profile describes the national drug policy of portugal. The national drug strategy is intended to guide the different sectorial policies on drugs and. To this end, drug policy researchers need to continue to provide a high quality evidence base with which to guide better policy responses and to continue to research ways of accelerating the pace of drug policy reform wood et al, 2010. Portugals 2001 decriminalization law did not legalize drugs as is often loosely. Numbers have since risen year on year before falling slightly in 2017. Drug policy and results in australia 3 preface only a decade ago, australia had one of the biggest drug problems in the world. Hanna siemaszko open society foundations, 2011 11 european monitoring centre for drugs and drug addiction. Fifteen years ago when portugal decriminalized the consumption of all narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances it was both a bold and a desperate move to curb the drug problem that the country faced at the time.
Pdf the effects of decriminalization of drug use in portugal. The benefits of decriminalizing drug use is the second in a series of reports by the open society global drug policy program that documents positive examples of drug policy reform around the world the first being from the mountaintops. The aim of this study is to show the circumstances that led to the current drug policy in portugal, the mechanisms used to effect this change and, most importantly, to discuss the values and ideas behind portuguese drug policy, how it works, and what the impact has been on. This report by the law library of congress provides information on the law on the decriminalization of narcotics in argentina, australia, brazil, canada, costa rica, czech republic, germany, ireland, israel, mexico, netherlands, new zealand, norway, portugal, south africa, and uruguay. To reduce the incidence of drug addiction and the harms caused by drug use and by the regime for controlling drug use. Pdf european drug policy the cases of portugal germany. What britain could learn from portugals drugs policy. Drug abuse is a problem that reaches all corners of the globe. The aim of this study is to show the circumstances that led to the current drug policy in portugal, the mechanisms used to effect this change and, most importantly, to discuss the values and ideas behind portuguese drug policy, how it works, and what the impact has been on drug use and drug harms within portugal. Opportunities and challenges in global drug policy. With a single currency, open borders, and no central european union policy to deal with drug addiction, it is up to each members national government.
Swedish drug policy a balanced policy based on health and. According to the united nations office on drugs and crime, portugal s policy has reportedly not led to an increase in drug tourism. Lessons for creating fair and successful drug policies pdf. In 1998, 22% of the population took drugs at least once a year a shockingly high figure, five times the global average. Portugals decriminalization approach in tackling drugs problem. Uses and abuses of drug decriminalization in portugal volume 40 issue 3 hannah laqueur. The cases of portugal, germany, and the netherlands steve anderson abstract drug abuse is a problem that reaches all corners of the globe. The analysis is performed using a differenceindifferences approach anda comprehensive set of countries as control group. Its history, its success and its future tiago s cabral abstract fifteen years ago when portugal decriminalized the consumption of all narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances it was both a bold and a desperate move to curb the drug problem that the country faced at the time. It also appears that a number of drugrelated problems have decreased. In portugal, drug use is treated as a medical issue, not a crime.
It considers national strategies and action plans, the legal context within which they operate and the public funds spent, or committed, to resource them. The drug policy of portugal called the drug strategy, was put in place in 2000, and was legally effective from july 2001. Drug decriminalization and the price of illicit drugs. The report then assesses portuguese drug policy in the context of the eus approach to drugs. Parallels since 2001, possession or use of any drug has been treated as a health issue in. I met with political leaders, health professionals, social workers, researchers and experts on. The portuguese policy of decriminalization of the consumption, acquisition, and the possession for personal use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances is known in the entire world as one of the most successful policies of its kind.
What the world can learn from drug policy change in switzerland. The successful policy in portugal of decriminalising the possession of drugs has attracted much interest around the world. More than 50% of those infected with hiv in portugal were drug addicts, with. The effects of decriminalization of drug use in portugal. It continues to define its core mission, and the core purpose of the decriminalization law, as follows. In portugal, drug use is treated as a medical issue, not a. Drug policy in portugal is a lucid, penetrating and timely study about the impact of drug decriminalization on peoples health and public security.
This publication is available as a pdf on the open society. Dec 05, 2017 portugals radical drugs policy is working. The office of national drug control policy ondcp is a component of the executive office of the president which works to reduce drug use and its consequences by leading and coordinating the. Drug decriminalization in portugal drug policy alliance.
The purpose of the global commission on drug policy is to bring to the international level an informed, sciencebased discussion about humane and effective ways to reduce the harm caused by drugs and drug control policies to people and societies. The varying legal frameworks, as well as the overall trend. The drug policy of portugal called the drug strategy, was put in place in 2000, and was. The story of decriminalization in portugal has become a kind of screen onto which drug policy agendas are projected. Swedish drug policy a balanced policy based on health. The first official call to change portugals drug laws came from rui pereira, a former constitutional court. The number of deaths by drug overdose in portugal is actually one of the lowest in all of the european union. It seeks to publish material on the social, political, legal, and health contexts. Drug policy in the united states recovery research institute.