LEGAL HIGHS

ACROSS THE SEA

D R U G D E C R I M I N A L I Z AT I O N I N P O RT U G A L

L E G I S L AT I O N
In 2001 the Portuguese
government passed
legislation that made
the personal possession
and use of non-medical
drugs no longer
criminal acts, rather an
administrative violation
that upholds solutions
as the result rather
than consequences.
(Merkin)

Civil War On Drugs

Different governing bodies and populations call for different ways to deal with the
problem of drug addiction, of which has an impact on just about every country in
the world. This is a report designed to give an inside look at a country that took a
completely different plan to remedy this very crippling human disorder. It
completely goes against everything that we have known to be successful to this
point. Portugal decided to connect the addict to the rest of society and provide a
basis for reintegration and recovery. What can we learn from this as Americans
that have been naturally enlisted in the War on Drugs.

<2001:
OVER DOSES
&ABUSE

-In 2000 there were

80 drug related
deaths reported in
the country of
Portugal.
-To supplement
these numbers,
rates of abuse in
1999 hovered
around 18% for all
illicit substances,
which are
staggering to say
the least. (DPA)

HIV/AIDS CASES

The year leading up

to governments
decision showed
that there were
over 1500 new
cases of HIV in
individuals who
used drugs and
administered them
with hypodermic
needles.

IMPRISONMENT
In 1999, 44% of
incarcerated
criminals were held
in prison for drug use
or personal
possession in
Portugal. This was at
very high cost to tax
payers funding the
existence of the
institutions
themselves.

CONTINUED USE
The rate at which
people aged 15-64
continued use illicit
substances
throughout their life
after first use
reached 45% in 2001.
We have seen
something very
similar in the US with
prescription
medication abuse.

WHERE
ARE THEY
NOW?

D E AT H BY D R U G S

The rate of druginduced deaths fell

steeply after the
legislation passed
and trended
between 10 and 30
deaths as a result
of
decriminalization.

L AT E S T H I V / A I D S
S TAT I S T I C S
There was a notable
fall in newly
diagnosed HIV
infections among drug
users in Portugal. If
you can remember,
before
decriminalization the
number exceeded
1500 per year. In 2012
it had dropped all the
way down to 78.

A NEW ERA FOR

PRISONS
- Individuals sent to
criminal courts as a result
of arrest decreased by
60%. (DPA)
- Under the new law, 80%
of all drug offenders
resulted in the previously
mention administrative
violation and were dealt
with to aid in treatment.
(Merkin)
- The real value in this
statistics lies in the fact
that the social monetary
cost of drugs reduced by
18%. (Merkin)

R E C O V E RY

-Upon the abolishing

criminalization and
expansion in health
and harm reduction
services, there was a
60% increase in
addicts receiving
treatment (23,600 to
~38,000) (DPA)
-It is imperative to
note that attending
treatment is a
voluntary decision left
up to the individual to
decide for themselves.
(DPA)

R E C OV E RY C O N T.
Aside from criminal prosecution treatment is available to the public at no cost and
in varying forms that include out-patient treatment, in-patient treatment and opioid
substitution treatment or OST.
OST is a strategy of treating opioid dependency that involves prescribing the
patient either methadone, a drug that curbs withdrawal and keeps craving down or
buprenorphine, a drug that has a similar function to methadone but also blocks
opioid receptors in the brain to prevent an addict from feeling the effects of
2010
2011
2012
2013
painkillers or heroin. (EMCDDA)
Patients Entering
Treatment
Patients entering
OST program
6000

5179

4388

4388

4138

29325

26351

24027

16858

Chart Title

5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
2010

Patients Entering Treatment

2011
2012

2013

New Treatment Patients 2010-2013

35000

30000

25000

20000

15000

10000

5000

0
2010

2011
Patients Entering Treatment

2012
Patients entering OST program

2013

Drastically improved circumstances like these evoke

many questions
Why in the U.S. are we viewing addiction as a war to be fought Us vs.
Them?
Is our goal solving the problem or just simply to justify the billions of
dollars in tax revenue attributed to this losing battle?
The definition of insanity is simply stated by Albert Einstein as doing the
same thing over and over again expecting different results.

Works
Cited

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Drug Decriminalization in Portugal: A Health-Centered Approach(n.d.): n. pag.
Web. 21 Feb. 2016.
<https://www.drugpolicy.org/sites/default/files/DPA_Fact_Sheet_Portugal_Decrimi
nalization_Feb2015.pdf>.
Frank, Priscilla. "These Photos Of Female Heroin Addicts Reveal The Power Of
Addiction (NSFW)."The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 22
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"Kluwer Mediation Blog."Kluwer Mediation Blog. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.
<http://kluwermediationblog.com/2013/06/09/adr-in-portugal-hopes-for-thefuture/>.
Merkin, George. "The Success of Portugal's Decriminalisation Policy in Seven
Charts."The Success of Portugal's Decriminalisation Policy in Seven Charts.
N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.
My Grand Praire Now. N.p., n.d. Web.
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<http://esim.wikia.com/wiki/File:Portugal-Flag-Wallpaper-HD.jpg>.

EMCDDA. "Portugal Overview."European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug

Addiction. EMCDDA, n.d. Web. 9 Apr. 2016.
Merkin, George. "Drug Decriminalisation in Portugal: Setting the Record
Straight."Transforming Getting Drugs Under Control. N.p., 11 June 2014. Web.