Given the possibility of a fresh approach to the opioid crisis, I would recommend serious attention to what has been accomplished in Portugal.
Early in the 1990s, a full 1 percent of Portugal’s population was hooked on heroin. Eventually, Portugal’s government decided (over some strong protests) to take a novel approach: It decriminalized all drugs.
“Starting in 2001, possession or use of any drug – even heroin – has been treated as a health issue, not as a crime,” NPR reported last year.
“We are dealing with a chronic relapsing disease, and this is a disease like any other,” one official told NPR. “I do not put a diabetic in jail, for instance.”
NPR noted that “drug dealers are still sent to prison. But anyone caught with less than a 10-day supply of any drug – including heroin – gets mandatory medical treatment. No judge, no courtroom, no jail.”
The result? Portugal’s drug-induced death rate has plummeted to five times lower than the European Union average.
The reason? According to one sociologist, “If I come across someone who wants my help, I’m in a much better position to provide it than a judge would ever be.”
The cost? I gather that this costs less than incarceration.
George Dole
Bath
Copy the Story LinkSend questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.