Twenty years of decriminalization of drugs in Portugal

Counter to authoritarian examples treating substance abuse as a problem of law enforcement, Portugal is viewed by some as an example of a public-health focused approach to substance-use disorders.¹

Reference:
[1] Rêgo X, Oliveira MJ, Lameira C, Cruz OS. 20 years of Portuguese drug policy – developments, challenges and the quest for human rights. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy 2021; 16 (1): 59.

[2] Pombo S, Félix da Costa N. Heroin addiction patterns of treatment-seeking patients, 1992-2013: comparison between pre- and post-drug policy reform in Portugal. Heroin Addict Relat Clin Probl 2016; 18 (6): 51–60.

[3] Transform Drug Policy Foundation. Drug decriminalisation in Portugal: setting the record straight. May 2021. Available at: https://transformdrugs.org/blog/drug-decriminalisation-in-portugal-setting-the-record-straight. Accessed Feb 2023