Question by FrankRep: Portugal: Drug Abuse Down by 50%. Was Bigger Government the Answer?
Ten Years After Decriminalization, Drug Abuse Down by Half in Portugal
Forbes.com | July 5, 2011
http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2011/07/05/ten-years-after-decriminalization-drug-abuse-down-by-half-in-portugal/

Portugal Drug Policy: Decriminalization Works
Business Insider | Jul. 17, 2012
http://www.businessinsider.com/portugal-drug-policy-decriminalization-works-2012-7

Portugal decriminalizes drugs — drug abuse drops 50%
Salon.com | Feb. 20, 2012
http://open.salon.com/blog/richard_rider/2012/02/20/portugal_legalizes_drugs_–_drug_abuse_drops_50

Portugal decriminalized drugs a decade ago. What have we learned?
The New Yorker | Oct. 17, 2011
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/10/17/111017fa_fact_specter

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Portugal has proven that drug decriminalization actually works better than bigger and bigger anti-drug government programs.

“The Experts” refuse to listen:

Portugal’s Drug Decriminalization No Model for U.S., Expert Says
http://www.drugfree.org/join-together/drugs/portugals-drug-decriminalization-no-model-for-u-s-expert-says
Drug Free
March 30, 2011

Best answer:

Answer by Mother Hubbard
It’s nicer in places where more of us can feel safe- not be arrested.
I may go on a work-study herding goats there- it matters to me how people are treated.

Answer by J
One of the big arguments against this, despite clear results, is the belief that legalization of drugs will simply mean people are now freely and legally funding drug cartels who are causing horrendous violence in other countries. There is also the contention that the drug cartel violence will spill out of the various countries in Latin America into the U.S. as the cartels attempt to maintain their cash flow.

The solution to this is pretty simple and one that people overlook; with legalization comes legal growing, cultivating, manufacturing and selling of these drugs. If the cartels start causing violence up here to stop it, we’ll see stricter laws on immigration and violent crime. We’ll also have more law enforcement resources in the first place because I can assure you drugs would be taxed heavily. That tax money would go to treatment, like in Portugal, and law enforcement, to deal with those who get high and cause problems. As it is, officers deal with people intoxicated from alcohol regularly.

In conclusion, hopefully the country will one day educate itself and look at these good examples of legalization working. I think what will help is the baby-boomer population and older generations passing away and the younger, more progressive generations taking on the issue.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

 

 

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