Decriminalization doesn't work ! (Cannabis in Portugal)
Hello steemers, i just want to get this out there.
Decriminalizing a drug doesn't make it legal ! And it doesn't work, so who is it "working" for ? Medical, government, and prison facilities.
But wait, your thinking, Portugal is one of the countries that decriminalized (yes, around 2001) possesion of several drugs.
You can have 5g of hash or 25g of weed in Portugal, i don't know about the others but it's a smaller amount.
Usually in the media they don't mention THAT fact, so some portuguese don't know this, or how much they can hold. But for more than a decade, i have seen it on the media, "Portugal decriminalization is a sucess", search it and you'll find thounsands of articles, also this is mostly online, the discussion about drugs in TV is very scarce and ocasional.
What i mean to say is: don't be deceived by your law makers, we have crime in Portugal, yes it may have done something to prevent drug related infections (not make it go away), but the reality of decriminalization is just as bad as any other.
If you hold LESS than the limit allowed, but if you get seen the gestapo police smoking they will stop you in your car or on foot, and they can search your car, or you... they also use peoples ignorance to go a little further, you might go to the police station or get assaulted as many times have heard or been through, this is not always like this i don't mean to scare you about this lamme country and there are many ocasions when it's totally (or almost) ok with some cops, but the fact that it happens shows you something, i hope...
I will also add that a portuguese (left) party tried 3 or 4 times to take it to parlament, to grow (few plants) and consume/buy (in associations) following the spanish model, and failed, no other party (with full votes in favor) supported this, only one or two parties considered some medicinal value, even in Spain there were some problems after it passed
So where are we today ? Drinking beer probably, watching some soccer games.... ? I mean... if you plant a seed of that beatifull plant here in Portugal you are a CRIMINAL ! NO PLANT SHALL BE GERMINATED IN THIS LAND !
So what did decriminalization decriminalized ? Drug dealers (the biggest), medical facilities and prisons (now full).
If your fighting for Cannabis legalization or debating about it in your country, do it right !
We (all) need full legalization NOW !
Many of you know this already, also here is some data:
Prision (oficial) lotation doubled since 1980's.
http://www.pordata.pt/Portugal/Pris%c3%b5es+total+e+lota%c3%a7%c3%a3o-270
Dictatorship (suposely) ended in 1974 just for reference.
Prisons are now overcrowded and jail cells are shared with many people.
Just saying..
Sounds like it isn't much better there than in USA. Thanks for some information from a different perspective! I've always heard Portugal referred to as a decriminalization success story as you mention in the article.
informative and interesting read thanks
Yes decriminalization in Portugal is a strange process
If you get cough with simple dope you will be put in the database of consumers and will never get a public job or even drive trucks
But the worst next thing is unconstitutional
After getting prosecuted and pay fines you have to compulsory go to a psychologist and declare that you have give up dope , otherwise you will be spotted forever and in court the judge increases the sentence
I can't declare I give up dope, because I'll never give up
Weed is good. Government is bad.
Uruguay has legalized and they have limits. I'm coming from online research and I knew about the limits in Potugal. Nice to know about the arrests though!