A Revolutionary Approach: Portugal Decriminalizes Synthetic Drugs

Original article by Lucía Tedesco for El Planteo.

Portugal’s Parliament recently decriminalized the use of synthetic drugs. The new law equates the legal treatment of these substances with that of classic drugs. 

It further eliminates the criteria based on the number of doses to distinguish between consumers and traffickers, yet aims to differentiate one from the other so that the former can receive treatment at a time when psychiatric hospitalization due to problematic use of synthetic drugs has spiked.

Thus, the measure aims to address the complex issues around synthetic drugs — especially in regions such as Madeira and the Azores — in a quicker and more effective manner. 

Its passing owes to the legislative Socialist majority and the support of the leader of the opposition — the center-right Social Democratic Party. 

Portugal Leads The Way Toward Drug Policy Reform

Social Democrat lawmaker Sara Madruga Da Costa stated that it is necessary to change the current legal framework to cover the country’s new and harsh reality. 

The deputy further explained that the distinction between consumer and trafficker is key to combating synthetic drugs with the application of a similar-to classic drugs’ legal framework.

Parliamentarian and PS deputy Cláudia Santos supported her colleague’s standpoint by adding that possession of drugs for personal consumption should not be a crime, and that the new project seeks to reaffirm prevention and treatment for consumers.

From now on, the amount of drug a person is found in possession of will simply be an “indication” rather than an incriminating criterion. In turn, this will expectedly allow judges to assess the situation more openly and determine whether someone is a trafficker or namely a user.

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