Decriminalization in Portugal succesful
Under the Portuguese plan, penalties for people caught dealing and trafficking drugs are unchanged; dealers are still jailed and subjected to fines depending on the crime. But people caught using or possessing small amounts—defined as the amount needed for 10 days of personal use—are brought before what's known as a "Dissuasion Commission," an administrative body created by the 2001 law.
"Drug decriminalization did reach its primary goal in Portugal of reducing the health consequences of drug use" says Peter Reuter, criminologist at the University of Maryland, "and did not lead to Lisbon becoming a drug tourist destination."
Walter Kemp, a spokesperson for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, says decriminalization in Portugal "appears to be working."
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Scientific American: 5 Years After: Portugal's Drug Decriminalization Policy Shows Positive Results
