EKIP– Expert Club for Economics and Politics A Different Opinion
The results of the experiment in Portugal are encouraging. For almost all types of drugs and for consumption in general, data after decriminalization show a decline compared to the 1990s.
In EKIP we have already written about the positive effects (and the need) of full drug legalization. Let us also analyze the first step towards liberalization, namely the decriminalization of the possession and consumption of narcotic substances. And fortunately in Portugal they have more than ten years of experience with this type of public policies, thanks to the change in legislation in 2001.
What is the regulation in the Iberian country? After the changes, the possession and use of all types of drugs ceases to be considered by criminal law. Everything considered a violation by the old text of the law (with the exception of drug trafficking) is now considered by the administrative code through special local commissions. The idea of these commissions (composed of doctors and lawyers) is to direct the user to treatment and professional help, if it is deemed necessary. Fines are among the commissions' tools, but they are rarely used. An important point is that the "offender" cannot be arrested by the police, he is only issued a prescription to speak to specialists within 72 hours.
The philosophy of the Portuguese strategy is to move from police prosecution to treatment and prevention. In practice, users who are not addicted are left alone. Those who have lost control of themselves are actively helped without police, arrests or prisons. By comparison, after decriminalization, the number of people seeking treatment jumped from 6,040 in 1999 to 14,877 in 2003, an increase of 147%. At the same time, the annual number of convictions for dealers fell from around 2,300 in 2000 to 1,600 in 2006, and convictions for use fell from 1,200 in 2000 to zero six years later. [1]
The results of the Portuguese experiment are encouraging. For almost all types of drugs and for consumption in general, the data after decriminalization show a decline compared to the 1990s. Importantly, there is a decrease in the prevalence rate among schoolchildren (see Figure 1). Where there are increases in certain demographic groups, they are small and well below the average levels for the European Union and, in particular, below the levels in the countries that most strictly prosecute drug use.
Graph 1: Prevalence rate among students in grades 10-12, Portugal, 2001 and 2006.
Source: Portuguese Institute of Drug and Toxicology
Data on drug-related health problems are particularly important for Portugal, where progress since 2001 has been remarkable, especially compared to the worsening situation in the country in the 1990s. Every year, there has been a significant decline in the number of drug users infected with HIV and AIDS. New HIV cases among drug users in 2000 were just under 1,400, while in 2006 they were around 500. The total number of deaths caused by drug use has fallen from nearly 400 in 1999 to 290 in 2006. [1]
It is also important to compare with the rest of the European Union, where drug use is still criminalised in most places. For example, the prevalence rate (PR) in Portugal as a whole, as well as for the most vulnerable group of schoolchildren, was below the EU average in 2006. For cannabis (the most used drug on the continent), the PR rates are the lowest in the Union for the 15-64 age group. Cocaine, the use of which is growing rapidly among schoolchildren, has a prevalence rate of 1.2% in Portugal, compared to an EU average of 4%. The results are similar for all types of drugs. [2]
The results of decriminalization in Portugal are excellent evidence of the positive effects of reducing state interference in the personal decisions of individuals. Not only have the apocalyptic predictions of a boom in the number of addicts not come true, but the data show exactly the opposite. The cited studies also fail to take into account many other desired consequences of the changes that inevitably followed – less crime, more free police resources (to deal with real problems) and, above all, more personal freedom.
[1] Greenwald, Glen, 2009, Drug Decriminalization in Portugal: Lessons for Creating Fair and Successful Drug Policies , Cato Institute, US
[2] ibid.
[1] Institute on Drugs and Drug Addiction of Portugal,
“The National Situation Relating to Drugs and Dependency,” 2006 Annual Report (2007), p. 53.
Congratulations on the article! An accurate and clear example of a place where the decriminalization of drugs has positive consequences. I also support this initiative, but overall I am not convinced that Bulgarian society is ready for such a step. I think that in Bulgaria a huge part of the population over 35-40 years of age are extremely ignorant of everything related to drugs - action, prices, trafficking, profits from trade. This also leads to difficulty in building a real assessment of the possible positive consequences of decriminalization. I believe that Bulgarians are very conservative by nature and the adoption of such a law will cause enormous dissatisfaction, and the party that proposed and adopted it will suffer a lot of negativity. The most prevalent opinions will be of the type - "they kicked half the children out of the country, now they want to legally kill the rest" and things of that nature. Perhaps it would be a good option to do things gradually. Let's say we legalize only marijuana first. After a few years, this new law will also start to give results in the export Based on official positive statistics, the normal Bulgarian will be inclined to a new step - the decriminalization of all types of drugs. Of course, this is only one option. Maybe there are other solutions, but unfortunately I do not think that in the next few years this issue will be taken seriously and there will be real action.
And I think we are a society with a certain (for me strange) conservatism. At the same time, younger people are aware of drugs and what they are. It is important for them to be convinced that not only at the household level, but also at the policy level, legalization (and its first step decriminalization) is the right way forward.
Regarding whether to start with marijuana. I think the first step should be bigger because people with serious addictions did not get them from marijuana. If it is politically impossible to have legalization right away, then the first step should be like the one in Portugal.
given, but not yet. And that's simply because the mafia, which burns party coffers, does not benefit from such a thing, but on the contrary - on a liberal market, prices and technical profits are reduced. The reason is that 8 years ago laws were passed that were in this direction - remember about the single dose and the legal carrying of narcotics for personal use - the bad thing is that in the country the bill of the law was not amended and there was no return to it. The next government simply waved it away and now it all depends on the prosecutors - for 1 gram they can put you in prison, and for more serious quantities, the production of drugs is stopped due to the insignificance of the offense and the following administrative sanctions.
Absolutely true. Although in my opinion, the mafia cannot stop such a process if it starts with sufficient public support.
In my opinion, "Society is not ready" should not be an argument. Society will never be ready.. Portuguese society is also, I'm sure, very conservative, not to mention Catholic. Sometimes changes have to be "brought down from above", although that sounds a bit totalitarian. But as far as I understand, in Portugal there is no legalization, but decriminalization, as in the Czech Republic, which means that you will still buy illegally and the mafia will have its income, the court and the police simply will not deal with nonsense. For comparison, in the Netherlands there is also no legalization, and the police "turns a blind eye" to the possession and use of small doses of weed.
Yes, I completely agree. The best option is full legalization.
A pretty pointless article overall! But I've convinced myself before that you're a complete idiot, no matter how much you think you're a "good guy"...
If you familiarize yourself with the regulations a little, you will come to the conclusion that IN BULGARIA, NO ONE puts drug addicts in prison - for reference, see Art. 354a, para. 5, in conjunction with para. 3 of the Criminal Code.
It's difficult for me to respond to this criticism. If possible, please present it in a more structured and clear form.
On the contrary, I don't know what you mean by posting on the article, but first, instead of pretending to be interested and not posting the law itself, FIRST, you google something that comes up when you post on this article: http://kos-bg.eu/post/0070d810/15971510.htm
for 1 year on a strict diet for 0.8 grams?!
The station is great.
haha I want to intervene in the conversation about the NPC, no one bothered to meet her, that boy is in prison for 8 months for 0.8 and secondly, even if you don't serve for 1 gr, I think it's enough that they take you to the district office, do they take fingerprints and everything and make you a criminal with a record and everything, why because you chose to be different and feel happy because of the elections and you only harm yourself
Bravo, well-written article! The problem of Bulgarian society is not conservatism, but sheepishness and self-imposed ignorance - the number of people who form their opinion after they have been sufficiently informed on the issue and become familiar with the facts, and not before, can be counted on the fingers of one's fingers. Even fewer are the people who remain against the liberalization of the existing legal framework after being informed. I cannot agree with Antonio Nedkov's opinion that "... the party that proposes and accepts it will suffer a lot of negatives." In my opinion, the exact opposite will happen - the party that pushes through such a change will gain enormous support in the face of tens of thousands of young voters, which is a big plus given the low voter turnout we have witnessed over the last 10 years.
Here is a video about decriminalization in Portugal 🙂 It's high time to stop with the limitations, alcohol and cigarettes are just as harmful as other substances.. http://www.zvraceny.cz/video/45350-the-if-debate-if-drugs-were-legal/
Does anyone know what the law is in the Czech Republic? 4uh, 4e is also quite free to use the city there. A lot of Portuguese people have come there to study and work and they like it a lot. One of the reasons for this (except that it's cheap) is the more free regime for the use of drugs.
In my opinion, the issue is not that society in Bulgaria is not ready, but rather that the family, as the smallest building block of this society, is worried about such a change. The family, especially parents, prefer to have prohibitions. When there is a ban by law, then the "state" can be blamed for their child's drug use. Thus, the responsibility of the family, the upbringing of the child, is put on the back burner. In general, this would raise public resentment. Having no one to blame for your own mistakes is disgusting... Otherwise, 6 for the article 😉