Portugal Drug Decriminalization

The cluster centers on debates about the outcomes of Portugal's 2001 policy decriminalizing all drugs, including its reported successes in reducing addiction and usage versus recent criticisms of rising issues like heroin and crack problems.

📉 Falling 0.1x Politics & Society
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Keywords

AFAIK washingtonpost.com US OP FDA ycombinator.com businessinsider.com huffpost.com FWIW www.time portugal drugs drug legalization drug use addicts crime illegal cannabis meth

Sample Comments

ashcza Mar 26, 2019 View on HN

rationale: check out the result of Portugal decriminalizing all drugs in 2001: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/dec/05/portugals-radic...

Baeocystin Jul 1, 2018 View on HN

Sure. Start here and follow the sources. Portugal's results from their drug law shift in particular are strong evidence.(the first bit of the linked article is, well, clearly written for the huff post. But the meat of it well worth the read)https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/6506936

immmmmm Nov 24, 2021 View on HN

no. legalisation or at least decriminalisation can lead to less use, as was the case in portugal for instance.

pedrosorio Jun 1, 2014 View on HN

Wonder no more:http://www.businessinsider.com/portugal-drug-policy-decrimin...

andyhmltn Dec 11, 2013 View on HN

It's just that drugs are illegal there. Why not ask portugal about how their drug use is faring after decriminalization?

fragmede Aug 1, 2023 View on HN

Once hailed for decriminalizing drugs, Portugal is now having doubtshttps://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/07/07/portugal-dru...discussed at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36638752

gojomo Oct 3, 2013 View on HN

Possible, the only way to find out is to tinker. Other experiments in decriminalization-plus-harm-reduction have usually shown net benefits. See for example Portugal:http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/evaluating-drug-d...Usage goes up a bit, but more addicts enter treatment, drug-related disease and crime drops,

cabraca Jul 12, 2019 View on HN

Just take a look at portugal: https://time.com/longform/portugal-drug-use-decriminalizatio...

quetzthecoatl Dec 17, 2018 View on HN

The argument is that people are going for legal more potent, more dangerous drugs in US because much harmless marijuana is illegal (Just as when alcohol was prohibited people switched from wine and beer to moonshine). This is true everywhere including US. Not just Portugal. So when relatively harmless recreational drugs are decriminalized, people won't go for fentanyl or oxy.Then of course we have the moral argument. The addicts are an extremely at risk, isolated, poor community. They c

vondur Aug 1, 2023 View on HN

It looks like Portugal is having some serious issues with decriminalization.https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/07/07/portugal-dru...