Does anybody here take the Greens seriously?

[icowden]

Just class A drugs. If you're going decriminalise hard drugs, surely you would do the same for 'recreational' drugs.
This will inevitably lead to more youth experimenting for the first time, as there is no downsides, other than gateway into addiction and more lethal drugs

For the benefit also of @Stevo 666

In 2001, Portugal decriminalized the personal possession of all drugs, treating consumption as an administrative offense rather than a criminal one. Those caught with up to a 10-day supply are directed to therapy or community service instead of jail. This policy aims to treat addiction as a health issue, reducing drug-related deaths and, while possession is still illegal, it significantly decreased convictions.

Despite fears expressed by those opposing the reform prior to 2001, decriminalisation has not led to an increase in drug use. On the contrary, lifetime drug prevalence rates have decreased in Portugal since the reform.


Key Aspects of Portugal’s Drug Policy:

• Decriminalization, Not Legalization: Drugs remain illegal, but possession for personal use does not result in prison sentences, criminal records, or immediate criminal charges.
• Administrative Focus:
  Instead of criminal penalties, individuals caught with drugs are often referred to local commissions (Comissões para a Dissuasão da Toxicodependência) for support and treatment
  .
• • Health-Centred Approach: The law prioritizes therapy, education, and community service to address addiction issues.
  • Criminal Penalties Remain: Trafficking, selling, and producing drugs are still considered criminal offenses, and penalties for these activities remain.
  • Impact: Since the implementation of this policy in July 2001, Portugal has seen a decrease in drug-related deaths and crime, while drug-related HIV infections have also dropped significantly.

This approach, sometimes referred to as the "Portuguese model," has been studied globally for its focus on harm reduction and public health in managing drug consumption.

 

[C R]

For the benefit also of @Stevo 666

In 2001, Portugal decriminalized the personal possession of all drugs, treating consumption as an administrative offense rather than a criminal one. Those caught with up to a 10-day supply are directed to therapy or community service instead of jail. This policy aims to treat addiction as a health issue, reducing drug-related deaths and, while possession is still illegal, it significantly decreased convictions.

Despite fears expressed by those opposing the reform prior to 2001, decriminalisation has not led to an increase in drug use. On the contrary, lifetime drug prevalence rates have decreased in Portugal since the reform.


Key Aspects of Portugal’s Drug Policy:

• Decriminalization, Not Legalization: Drugs remain illegal, but possession for personal use does not result in prison sentences, criminal records, or immediate criminal charges.
• Administrative Focus:
  Instead of criminal penalties, individuals caught with drugs are often referred to local commissions (Comissões para a Dissuasão da Toxicodependência) for support and treatment
  .
• • Health-Centred Approach: The law prioritizes therapy, education, and community service to address addiction issues.
  • Criminal Penalties Remain: Trafficking, selling, and producing drugs are still considered criminal offenses, and penalties for these activities remain.
  • Impact: Since the implementation of this policy in July 2001, Portugal has seen a decrease in drug-related deaths and crime, while drug-related HIV infections have also dropped significantly.

This approach, sometimes referred to as the "Portuguese model," has been studied globally for its focus on harm reduction and public health in managing drug consumption.

Yeah, but if you can't be cruel to druggies, how are you going to signal your superiority?

 

[CXRAndy]

Yeah, but if you can't be cruel to druggies, how are you going to signal your superiority?

You dont need to be cruel to signal superiority

 

[Dorset Boy]

For the benefit also of @Stevo 666

In 2001, Portugal decriminalized the personal possession of all drugs, treating consumption as an administrative offense rather than a criminal one. Those caught with up to a 10-day supply are directed to therapy or community service instead of jail. This policy aims to treat addiction as a health issue, reducing drug-related deaths and, while possession is still illegal, it significantly decreased convictions.

Despite fears expressed by those opposing the reform prior to 2001, decriminalisation has not led to an increase in drug use. On the contrary, lifetime drug prevalence rates have decreased in Portugal since the reform.


Key Aspects of Portugal’s Drug Policy:

• Decriminalization, Not Legalization: Drugs remain illegal, but possession for personal use does not result in prison sentences, criminal records, or immediate criminal charges.
• Administrative Focus:
  Instead of criminal penalties, individuals caught with drugs are often referred to local commissions (Comissões para a Dissuasão da Toxicodependência) for support and treatment
  .
• • Health-Centred Approach: The law prioritizes therapy, education, and community service to address addiction issues.
  • Criminal Penalties Remain: Trafficking, selling, and producing drugs are still considered criminal offenses, and penalties for these activities remain.
  • Impact: Since the implementation of this policy in July 2001, Portugal has seen a decrease in drug-related deaths and crime, while drug-related HIV infections have also dropped significantly.

This approach, sometimes referred to as the "Portuguese model," has been studied globally for its focus on harm reduction and public health in managing drug consumption.

Given this policy has been in place for 25 years, have any other countries copied it?
If not, why not if it is seemingly so successful?

 

[Dorset Boy]

Yeah, but if you can't be cruel to druggies, how are you going to signal your superiority?

Druggies are pretty cruel to themselves and their families.

 

[C R]

Druggies are pretty cruel to themselves and their families.

So no need to add further performative cruelty on top.

 

[Bromptonaut]

Given this policy has been in place for 25 years, have any other countries copied it?
If not, why not if it is seemingly so successful?

Quite a few?

https://www.citywide.ie/decriminalisation/countries.html

 

[laurentian]

I did do better thankyou, by the sounds of it, better than you

was this last term?

 

[CXRAndy]

was this last term?

Life in general

 

[First Aspect]

Given this policy has been in place for 25 years, have any other countries copied it?
If not, why not if it is seemingly so successful?

Because policy and debate is so often based on belief and presumption rather than facts and data.

I had a client who was in the healthcare sector, specifically opioid addition treatment. I found the arguments in favour of treating the addicts as patients quite compelling. Particularly in light of the health effects, such as death, during withdrawal. In turn, although the societal impacts of drug use, and drug users specifically, cant be argued, putting them in prison demonstrably isn't helping. Nor do I think it is acting as a deterrent, in which case it's an expensive waste of time.

The decriminalisation approach has been trialled in a few other places, including the west coast of the US and Canada and Switzerland. Safe consumption rooms are also not a new idea.

For me, the analysis is simple. What we have been doing for decades isn't really working, so why not try something else.

 

[dutchguylivingintheuk]

Has it occurred to you that decriminalisation might encourage people to try drugs - effectively that state is saying 'these are OK'. Have a think about the impact on things like, health, crime, ability to work etc.

And if you think that the state becoming an official drug pusher (moral considerations aside) will eliminate the black market in drug then you are very likely mistaken.

Having lived in a country that was one of the first to condome but not decriminalized/legalize(important difference) class A drugs like Weed i can tell you nope ''decriminalisation'' does not have that effect, i think with hard drugs it might be an different story, and in addition these are far more damaging, so i think advocating to legalize that is wrong. Both soft drugs like weed are no more dangerous then Alcohol.

 

[Bromptonaut]

@dutchguylivingintheuk legalise and decriminalise are not the same thing.

 

[dutchguylivingintheuk]

Quite a few?

https://www.citywide.ie/decriminalisation/countries.html

lists, if you can't win with arguments just provide a list..
Now of that list which countries copied the exact Portugal model?

 

[dutchguylivingintheuk]

@dutchguylivingintheuk legalise and decriminalise are not the same thing.

Fair point there haven been calls in several goverments to fully legalize weed and soft drugs for years but it's still only condomed, which you could class as decriminalized, but the official decision at the time was made by a police chief. (as in he publicly stated the police wouldn't follow upon soft drugs crime as it was low impact.)

 

[Bromptonaut]

lists, if you can win with arguments just provide a list..
Now of that list which countries copied the exact Portugal model?

Since they're different countries with different structures and constructs probably none.

But the point was about moving away from the rotating prison door model.