Drug Abuse in Portugal Drops by Half After Decriminalization

After decriminalizing all drug use in 2001, Portugal’s drug abuse has dropped by half (http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g9C6x99EnFVdFuXw_B8pvDRzLqcA?docId=CNG.e740b6d0077ba8c28f6d1dd931c6f679.5e1):

The number of addicts considered “problematic” — those who repeatedly use “hard” drugs and intravenous users — had fallen by half since the early 1990s, when the figure was estimated at around 100,000 people, Goulao said.

Infections among intravenous users and drug-related crimes have dropped significantly as well.

Portugal’s policy is to provide drug addicts with treatment rather than put them in prison. Our country would be better off with a similar policy.

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