how laws change over TIME and PLACE - legalising drugs

Question 1

what is the aim of decriminalising drug use in portugal?

Answer 1

police in portugal are more concerned with having humanised relationships with drug users - the decriminalisation of drugs is to focus on the law and be concerned about the person

Question 2

when were drugs decriminalised in portugal?

Answer 2

2001

Question 3

why were drugs decriminalised?

Answer 3

• before 1974, portugal used to be a closed off catholic country run by a dictator
• in 1974, there was a revolution and people gained freedom, including drugs
• by 1990s, 1% of the portuguese population was addicted to heroin (1 in every 100)
• rates of AIDS infections were the highest in the EU

Question 4

what happened after drugs were decriminalised?

Answer 4

• drug use amongst youths has decreased
• drug induced deaths are now 4x lower than the european average
• AIDS infections and overdoses among addicts are now almost non-existent
• when portuguese people are caught with drugs, they dont end up with a criminal record