United States vs Portugal on Decriminalization of Drugs Decriminalization of Drugs in Portugal began in 1974 when democratic control was brought back to legislation (Thornton n.pag.). People that had previously left the country due to a dictatorship came back, and the people that returned were not all respectable. By the 1990s drug use was higher than ever. Many citizens were drug users. After that, the drug use sky rocketed. Included with the drug use brought addiction, HIV, and overdoses (Thornton n.pag.). In 2000, Portugal responded (Goulão n.pag.). Portugal is a very small country on the west bank of Spain. The inhabitants are also relatively poor. Since then it has been considered a great success. Portugal legislation decriminalized
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Some data has shown that drug usage has decreased or has not changed (5). Some data show that drug usage has increased. (5) However, it did not affect the country as dramatically as some citizens and politicians had thought (5). The records are different according to the different types of drugs. Data recorded in a report by Caitlin Hughes and Alex Stevens show that the usage of cannabis has increased and the usage of heroin has decreased, as recorded by the CDT (3). Also, drug trafficking has decreased, even though Portugal has a historic tie to the country of Columbia (3). Columbia is the number one producer of cocaine. Heroine is made from the cocaine plant. The drug usage according to certain age groups have also decreased (11). As stated by Greenward, “For students in the 7th–9th grades (13–15 years old), the rate decreased from 14.1 percent in 2001 to 10.6 percent in 2006” (11). The drug usage of these groups have decreased substantially since the 1990s (11). However, for other age groups there is data that shows an increase (12). “In almost every category of drug, and for drug usage overall, the lifetime prevalence rates in the predecriminalization era of the 1990s were higher than the post- decriminalization rates,” Gleenward proclaimed. The rates of people seeking help for addiction has increased, as the politicains and scientist had hoped. The rates of overdoses have decreased. Post Legislation HIV and Hepatitis A/B rates due to drug use has declined (16). Prior to 2001 the HIV transmission in Portugal was the highest of all the countries in the European Union (16). Portugal has also been more proactive in educating the effects of drugs to the new generations. For the most part, effects of the decriminalization of drugs has been very positive in
Some data has shown that drug usage has decreased or has not changed (5). Some data show that drug usage has increased. (5) However, it did not affect the country as dramatically as some citizens and politicians had thought (5). The records are different according to the different types of drugs. Data recorded in a report by Caitlin Hughes and Alex Stevens show that the usage of cannabis has increased and the usage of heroin has decreased, as recorded by the CDT (3). Also, drug trafficking has decreased, even though Portugal has a historic tie to the country of Columbia (3). Columbia is the number one producer of cocaine. Heroine is made from the cocaine plant. The drug usage according to certain age groups have also decreased (11). As stated by Greenward, “For students in the 7th–9th grades (13–15 years old), the rate decreased from 14.1 percent in 2001 to 10.6 percent in 2006” (11). The drug usage of these groups have decreased substantially since the 1990s (11). However, for other age groups there is data that shows an increase (12). “In almost every category of drug, and for drug usage overall, the lifetime prevalence rates in the predecriminalization era of the 1990s were higher than the post- decriminalization rates,” Gleenward proclaimed. The rates of people seeking help for addiction has increased, as the politicains and scientist had hoped. The rates of overdoses have decreased. Post Legislation HIV and Hepatitis A/B rates due to drug use has declined (16). Prior to 2001 the HIV transmission in Portugal was the highest of all the countries in the European Union (16). Portugal has also been more proactive in educating the effects of drugs to the new generations. For the most part, effects of the decriminalization of drugs has been very positive in