Portugal's drug decriminalization 'bizarrely underappreciated': Greenwald

[Are_grits_groceries]

Champions of harsh drug criminalization laws as the best solution to curbing drug use will be chagrined to find that Portugal’s eight year history of decriminalization has led to lower drug usage rates.

According to a new report entitled, “Drug Decriminalization in Portugal: Lessons for Creating Fair and Successful Drug Policies,” while drug use across the European Union has risen steadily since 2000, Portugal, which has the most liberal drug laws of any country, has actually seen its prevalence rates decrease in various age groups since it decriminalized all drugs in 2001. Prevalence rates measure how many people have consumed drugs over the course of their lifetime.

“I think it’s bizarrely underappreciated what’s been done in Portugal,” said Salon writer Glenn Greenwald, who authored the report. Greenwald, who speaks fluent Portuguese, traveled to Portugal in 2008 to study the affects of drug decriminalization in the country.

Because drugs were not legalized outright in Portugal, violations of laws prohibiting drug possession for personal usage are now merely treated as administrative offenses and carry with them no criminal charges. Drug trafficking, however, continues to be prosecuted as a criminal offense in the country.
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Portugals_drug_decriminalization_bizarrely_underappreciated_Greenwald_0406.html

Who knew? Our MSM is too busy reporting on Eric Cantor.

[dorkulon]

1. Now they need to legalize 'trafficking', regulate and tax it.

And watch drug-related violence disappear.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. The problem is, if they legalized trafficking, they would become the base for distribution

to the rest of the EU - so you'll probably attract more criminals than Portugal currently has. Look at the problems Mexico has, largely from drugs passing through it to the USA.

[Bluenorthwest]

2. America sneers at Portugal, and at reality

Facts are useless. Dogma is the method, profit is the goal.

[xchrom]

4. +4

[DCKit]

5. The decrease in crime associated with/caused by prohibition needs to be talked about as well. n/t

[maxsolomon]

6. you see, america is not like any other country

because we're #1. so nothing is comparable to #1.

:sarcasm: