Portugal: drug de-criminalization works

[Fish]

There's a lot of hypothetical questions and answers and theories thrown around whenever people talk about drug legality. Some people think it would help, others scoff at such an idea. It's impossible to say that it would work everywhere, but we can now safely say that it seems to have worked in Portugal. I'll be interested to see if this goes anywhere.

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=...riminalization

[water bottle]

Interesting. I remember hearing about that years ago; it's good to hear that it's working. I believe Mexico has a similar policy. I don't know about the legalization of all drugs, but I do know America's war on drugs has been... well, epic fail. Vices are omnipresent throughout all cultures and eras. Trying to eradicate them is about as effective as telling teenagers to wait until they're married to have sex -- never going to happen.

[JustAnotherAsshole]

This probably won't reach American news networks.

[TripleDot]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherAsshole

This probably won't reach American news networks.

This. And even if it does, they'll find some way to make it seem negative.

[JustAnotherAsshole]

Originally Posted by spiritMSTR

This. And even if it does, they'll find some way to make it seem negative.

O'Reilly would certainly do a negative report on it.

[PirateJoe]

*hammers in last nail*

[Eskorbuto]

I've always wanted to go to Portugal. This just further entices me.

[Mantikore]

the article states that its still illegal to sell substances, so im thinking this policy still isnt in the favor of recreational users. If these laws were applied in your country how would it change the ease of obtaining these substances?

[Winter]

Article basically says: "Laws still in effect, but instead of jail, you get better/more medical help/rehab."

Of course this is working. Its obvious and the states should be doing the same.

This article still dosnt prove legalization would work, but lets hope a country will have the balls one day to legalize everything and prove the rest of the world wrong.

[sexualjesus]

good find fishy.

on one hand i like that they decriminalised all drugs, like H and coke.

but they say you can only possess 10 days worth of drugs to not be a dealer. 10 days isnt a lot. when i buy weed i buy it in ounces to get a better price, by all standards i would say it should be 30 days, we get 30 days worth of pharmacueticals why cant we have 30 days worth of smack.

from this story i cant say i like the idea of decriminalisation, if stuff is decrimmed the government will just sit on it rather then go the full way to legalise drugs, i would much rather wait a little while longer untill the people can get enough power to legalise drugs rather then just settle and be stuck with decriminalsation laws for the next 100 years.

it will happen my green friends, one day we will be swimming in forests full of canabis

[TripleDot]

Originally Posted by sexualjesus

it will happen my green friends, one day we will be swimming in forests full of canabis

My god.....That would be orgasmic.

[JustAnotherAsshole]

Originally Posted by spiritMSTR

My god.....That would be orgasmic.

If they were flowering, wouldn't you get all sticky?

[The Backdoor Man]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherAsshole

If they were flowering, wouldn't you get all sticky?

Isn't that the point?

[Vigilante]

It's an interesting read. De-criminaliztion is one of those things that alot of people hope for, but significant progress comes in small dose's over the course of years and decades. I truely believe that marijuana will be fully legalized within the next 8-20 years.. Just a matter of time and if one can survive for that long.. lol

[Dog]

Great news, but I think it'll be decades before you even hear Americans consider it. Way too many people in this country are extremely closed-minded. I mean, just look at alcohol, where a guy can go fight and die for his country at 18, but having a beer is a big deal.

Hopefully more European countries will adopt it though. The way the world seems to be going is that America has a lot of money and power, but other places are still much better to live.

EDIT: I see they only decriminalized the possession aspect. In addition to the decadence surrounding the lifestyle, the big problem around the world is all the murder that revolves around drug trafficking.

[CotDeath]

"Washington joined United Nations member states last week in agreeing a 10-year extension to a U.N. "war on drugs.""
source
Fanfuckingtasting.

[Dog]

Originally Posted by CotDeath

"Washington joined United Nations member states last week in agreeing a 10-year extension to a U.N. "war on drugs.""
source
Fanfuckingtasting.

People are really, really stupid sometimes.

What do they expect will be the outcome of their "war on drugs"? Are they going to wipe a bunch of plant species off the planet? Do they think producers, traffickers, and dealers will just wake up one day and stop? Even if they somehow did effectively end the trafficking of drugs, people would find other ways to get high, whether it's from sniffing whip cream cans to inhaling their fermented feces.

Unless the concern of policymakers is...I dunno, giving law enforcement agencies something to do, the only way they can really stop the problems related to drugs is to legalize them. I hope that I live to see a country show the balls and common sense to do it.

[Really Awesome Nickname]

Why were drugs made illegal in the first place?

[JustAnotherAsshole]

Originally Posted by Deluxe Edition 2010 Beta

Why were drugs made illegal in the first place?

Now we're gettin' somewhere.

[I'mAfraidofJapan]

Originally Posted by Deluxe Edition 2010 Beta

Why were drugs made illegal in the first place?

Because back in the day when we were all extremely religious and saw people acting not exactly themselves because they were on a substances, they thought they were evil/posessed. As knowledge grew that it was a substance and not an evil presence affecting them, the stigmata still stayed but it was just transferred to the drugs. Along with people demonizing drugs that they will kill you because at the time, people knew little about any substances, medicinal or not, and would be told THESE ARE BAD by a very loud minority, and be sucked into believing. It's basically how all propaganda unfolds in the end. This presence is still there today, but as more people learn about the real harm that most drugs cause (little) we are becoming more accepting.

/Bullshit

Misinformation the culprit.