One of the standard arguments against drug legalization or decriminalization is that it will cause drug use to skyrocket. This notion, however, takes a major body blow when we look at Portugal, which in 2001 became the first European country to officially abolish all criminal penalties for personal possession of drugs, including marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine.
The question is, does the new policy work? At the time, critics in the poor, socially conservative and largely Catholic nation said decriminalizing drug possession would open the country to “drug tourists” and exacerbate Portugal’s drug problem; the country had some of the highest levels of hard-drug use in Europe. But the recently released results of a report commissioned by the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, suggest otherwise.
…
Compared to the European Union and the U.S., Portugal’s drug use numbers are impressive. Following decriminalization, Portugal had the lowest rate of lifetime marijuana use in people over 15 in the E.U.: 10%. The most comparable figure in America is in people over 12: 39.8%. Proportionally, more Americans have used cocaine than Portuguese have used marijuana.
The Cato paper reports that between 2001 and 2006 in Portugal, rates of lifetime use of any illegal drug among seventh through ninth graders fell from 14.1% to 10.6%; drug use in older teens also declined. Lifetime heroin use among 16-to-18-year-olds fell from 2.5% to 1.8% (although there was a slight increase in marijuana use in that age group). New HIV infections in drug users fell by 17% between 1999 and 2003, and deaths related to heroin and similar drugs were cut by more than half. In addition, the number of people on methadone and buprenorphine treatment for drug addiction rose to 14,877 from 6,040, after decriminalization, and money saved on enforcement allowed for increased funding of drug-free treatment as well.
The author of the CATO report? Known sock-puppeteer Glenn Greenwald.
I’m not going to say that decriminalization of drugs in the United States will definitely cause usage to drop. But I do think that this is definite and solid evidence that decriminalization will not cause usage to skyrocket, like most critics claim. I also think that decriminalization will give us fewer long-term drug addicts, because more people will be willing to admit they have a problem and seek treatment.
Personally, I want to see the federal government get out of the drug war business. We have 50 states for a reason: individual states can try things, and if they go wrong, just that state is affected, but if they go right, then other states can follow suit. This whole federalism process, however, is stifled or shut down entirely when the federal government steps in and makes rules for everyone. To me, federal drug laws make about as much sense and do about as much good as the old federal 55mph speed limit: impossible to enforce, leading to selective enforcement, corruption, and general disrespect of the law in general. We’re better off getting the federal government out of as many things as possible, including drug law.
Well, many people, for many years have advocated
kyle8 Friday, May 8th at 3:43PM EDT (link)a fifty state policy. It always seemed like common sense to me. But one thing I learned years ago on this issue. It is one in which many conservatives act like liberals.
What I mean by that is, they have only a perfunctory knowledge, they ignore the literature that goes counter to their views, and they invest heavily in the emotions of the subject rather than the substance.
Not surprisingly they come up with a non-conservative, big government, solution.
All vice laws ultimately fall into two ranges, prohibit it, or control it. Since it is a historically proven impossibility for prohibition to work, then to my way of thinking we are stuck with the “control it” paradigm.
“Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty”
Kyle
I have recently been persuaded that legalization, esp at the federal level, is best
Mike gamecock DeVine Friday, May 8th at 4:05PM EDT (link)even if we were to see usage increase a lot, esp at first, which I believe would be the case. I suspect that Portugal is not a good comparison and that there are other factors, but one can always hope. But I do think that the negatives of prohibition are outweighing the positives.
more later
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” - Andrew Jackson
I do agree there would be an upsurge in usage
kyle8 Friday, May 8th at 4:29PM EDT (link)As a person with an economics degree I know that if you legalize something you get more of it, just as if you penalize it you get less of it.
But that does not translate into a higher overall rate of addiction, since people who are likely to become addicts are already addicted to something, Booze, over the counter drugs, etc.
All you are doing is maybe replacing very harmful booze use with less harmful marijuana, at least in some cases.
“Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty”
Kyle
good point, and I do think that the addicted would be more likely
Mike gamecock DeVine Friday, May 8th at 4:31PM EDT (link)to get treatment post-legalization.
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” - Andrew Jackson
Would you only legalize or de-criminalize pot or
Mike gamecock DeVine Friday, May 8th at 4:31PM EDT (link)harder drugs as well?
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” - Andrew Jackson
well
dave_in_atl Friday, May 8th at 4:56PM EDT (link)de-criminalizing is not going to do anything to keep the violence down and the profits will still be in the hands of the cartels. If you really want to improve the situation you need to legalize where you can tax and regulate it.
I agree, some countries tried the half assed approach
kyle8 Friday, May 8th at 5:18PM EDT (link)and it did not work.
To answer Gamecocks question. I would let the states decide. But If I was president, I would dictate that they must either, ban, legalize some, or legalize all drugs, Not some form of half way decriminalization.
“Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty”
Kyle
I agree and I actually lean towards legalization - nt
Mike gamecock DeVine Friday, May 8th at 6:30PM EDT (link)Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” - Andrew Jackson
One factor economics can not calculate Kyle
Doc Holliday Friday, May 8th at 7:39PM EDT (link)is that things that are illegal or taboo become more appealing to the young. Americans in particular are prone to over doing things because of our historical Protestant ethics. We either are on a diet, or eat like crazy. We say booze is bad, so the young want it even more. You can look at overeating, alcohol and marijuana use and see it is lower in countries that have healthier view of such things.
This is a factor, it does not fit in all circumstances, but it does affect things. I simply do not believe if marijuana was decriminalized, there would be a huge spike in its use; hell, Americans don’t even smoke cigs anymore. And the odd thing is, teenagers can get pot easier than they can get beer. Square conservatives like myself would not even no where to look for pot.
Molon Labe!
I mean "know" of course, I normally don't post to correct typos but considering the topic, it seemed appropriate. :)
Doc Holliday Friday, May 8th at 7:41PM EDT (link)Molon Labe!
CG, I can see a discussion on decriminalization but not legalization
Doc Holliday Friday, May 8th at 7:31PM EDT (link)I think Americans are just not used to the word “decriminalization”; here it is either legal or not. Several European countries have decriminalized marijuana use, none have legalized it, not even the Netherlands.
Decriminalization works because you can still get fined for possession but we don’t fill up the prisons with pot smokers. The money saved and liberty gained would be a major plus. In these decriminalization countries, the cops cite someone because they are causing some type of nuisance.
The other side of decriminalization is that they can still go after criminals, dealers, hoodlums etc. If you legalize, it will just cause more bureaucracy and open up all kinds of lawsuits, oversight etc. In fact, decriminalization does not even have to be official, the police could just stop busting users today by focusing on other more dangerous crimes.
Molon Labe!
Why is the Federal goverment allowed to pass a LAW against marijuana, but they had to pass a constitutional amendment to outlaw alcohol nationwide?
David123 Friday, May 8th at 6:02PM EDT (link)To some extent it’s a moot point, because all the states prohibit marijuana anyway, but constitutionally the disparity between alcohol and marijuana doesn’t make sense.
David123
that is a great point and has been much discussed
kyle8 Friday, May 8th at 6:14PM EDT (link)in the anti prohibitionist literature.
“Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty”
Kyle
big booze is well organized and has many
Doc Holliday Friday, May 8th at 7:43PM EDT (link)lobbyists. Can you imagine a bunch of pot heads getting organized? I kid
Molon Labe!
Among many other points, I cannot agree with this:
Lammo Friday, May 8th at 6:12PM EDT (link)“I also think that decriminalization will give us fewer long-term drug addicts, because more people will be willing to admit they have a problem and seek treatment.” Sorry but in my experience** the only reason many people finally admit they have a problem and seek treatment is because it’s the key to the jail house door. Additionally, you remove the possibility of intensely supervised treatment, such as Drug Courts, which for some people is the only kind that will ever work.
** Nearly 22 years as a prosecutor, founding prosecutor for my county’s Drug Court program.
ACORN: Association of Criminals Obama Represented in the Nineties. (jupitersuite)
Don’t be so open minded that your brains fall out. (Fr. John Corapi, SOLT)
Crime never takes a holiday. (Dennis J. O’Shea, R.I.P.)
Unlawful is against the law. Illegal is a sick bird. (Ooold joke)
Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read. (Groucho Marx)
please...
dave_in_atl Friday, May 8th at 6:57PM EDT (link)Says the guy who gets his paycheck from drugs being illegal. I mean how else are you supposed to justify ruining so many peoples lives….
The “we need to protect drug users from themselves”, and the “wont someone please think of the children” B.S. has been way overplayed.
quick followup.
dave_in_atl Friday, May 8th at 7:22PM EDT (link)The last post was a little harsh so I wanted to try to sum it up a little better….
There are only a few people who still support marijuana being against the law… people who still fall for the propaganda (my grandmother would fall into this category), and people who actually profit from it… cops, drug dealers, and you! I bet it feels good to be on the same side on this issue as the drug cartels.
Anyone that is honest with themselves though will have to admit that it is no worse than cigarettes/alcohol. Now if you are pro criminalization of grabbing a beer then at least your not a hypocrite..
Drug use is a health issue not a criminal one. If you want to help addicts maybe you should become a doctor instead of a prosecutor.
I'll respond here
Lammo Friday, May 8th at 8:16PM EDT (link)instead of to the “harsh” comment above. This is not a simple issue and it does not lend itself to simple answers but I’ll try to give you some things to think about.
I believe that most people who think legalizing marijuana is a good idea think they are talking about the marijuana they remember from the 60s and 70s. Today’s marijuana is much more powerful - - 3 to 5 times the THC content.
I understand and believe that there are some legitimate medicinal uses for marijuana. My state has a medical marijuana law and I have dismissed cases upon proof of compliance with that law. One area where marijuana is useful is for chemotherapy patients in that it helps with the nausea that happens as a side effect. This medicinal effect has led to death among people who combine marijuana use with extreme alcohol abuse. The body of the person who drinks to the point of alcohol poisoning will not be able to help itself out when that person has used marijuana - - to put it bluntly, the marijuana will not let them puke. So, aside from the lung cancer warnings your legalized marijuana will have to carry at least one other surgeon general’s warning.
If it’s legalized, will the school bus company still be able to test their drivers? You may want you kid’s bus driver to be on the road the morning after they have smoked marijuana, I don’t. The same applies to taxi drivers and airline pilots. And the same applies to these folks and alcohol as well.
I am certainly not on the side of the cartels and believe me, I don’t profit from drugs being unlawful (can’t say illegal - - see my signature). Legalize drugs tomorrow and I will still have plenty of work as a prosecutor. Holding people accountable for their actions is not ruining their lives; in fact in many cases we break people out of behavioral cycles and actually save their lives (I have run into former defendants in public years later who have actually thanked me). My first question when I get a new case is always what alternative way is available for this defendant from Diversion to Drug Court to Drug Offender Sentencing Alternative (sentence to in patient treatment in lieu of prison). People on my caseload ruin their own lives.
ACORN: Association of Criminals Obama Represented in the Nineties. (jupitersuite)
Don’t be so open minded that your brains fall out. (Fr. John Corapi, SOLT)
Crime never takes a holiday. (Dennis J. O’Shea, R.I.P.)
Unlawful is against the law. Illegal is a sick bird. (Ooold joke)
Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read. (Groucho Marx)
for every person you have saved...
dave_in_atl Friday, May 8th at 8:31PM EDT (link)There are countless other lives that are ruined…
case in point… the Atlanta women who was shot and killed based on a bogus raid… thankfully the cops in said case are in jail.
Or… I can even give you a personal example. My brother, eagle scout, was convicted on felony marijuana offenses while attending college. Even though he was maintaining a job and high grades he was tried, convicted, served jail time, and was kicked out of school. Sure he was breaking the law, and he knew the consequences (he would be the first to say so), but tell me what good did this serve society…. and at what cost… I cant even imagine the untold thousands wasted on prosecuting my harmless brother. Not only that, but now he has a felony which makes it harder to be productive, He has to come up with thousands of dollars to pay probation fines, and therefore spends his time working instead of finishing his college education.
Thankfully he is on his way back to college, and since I know him I know he will overcome, and be quite successful despite this delay. The one thing I can say though… It finally made my mother (who used to be in the “believe the propaganda crap”) see the light and she is now firmly pro-legalization.
Lives have been ruined across this great country, and billions have been wasted on a lost cause. The sooner we admit it the better.
This thread illustrates the hazard of arguing from anecdote
civil_truth Friday, May 8th at 9:59PM EDT (link)However, finding solid studies that 1) aren’t biased; and 2) are translatable to the U.S. is a challenge.
If one is going to legalize drugs, one had better have in place a comprehensive program and the mechanisms to measure success - so we don’t keep arguing from anecdote and political muscle.
And Rightly So!