A new study from the Cato Institute [1] finds that Portugal’s policy on drug decriminalization is paying health dividends. Portugal decriminalized possession of all drugs on July 1, 2001, including heroin and cocaine. Trafficking in drugs is still a criminal offense.
[1]The author, Glenn Greenwald, notes that “decriminalization has become increasingly popular in Portugal since 2001. Except for some far-right politicians, very few domestic political factions are agitating for a repeal of the 2001 law.” He also highlights that “none of the nightmare scenarios touted by preenactment decriminalization opponents — from rampant increases in drug usage among the young to the transformation of Lisbon into a haven for “drug tourists” — has occurred.”
One comment caught my eye: Greenwald states (my emphasis)
Although postdecriminalization usage rates have remained roughly the same or even decreased slightly when compared with other EU states, drug-related pathologies — such as sexually transmitted diseases and deaths due to drug usage — have decreased dramatically. Drug policy experts attribute those positive trends to the enhanced ability of the Portuguese government to offer treatment programs to its citizens — enhancements made possible, for numerous reasons, by decriminalization.
In other words, the study clearly finds that one of the foundational anchors of this success has been the availability of rehab to users.
The study clearly indicates rehab is a major component of the success of the decriminalization policy, and that such rehab needs to be available to all. Successful rehab is thus only possible when health is a public service. Without a public health program, most users (who are poor) would be unable to afford rehab (which tends to be relatively expensive), thus removing any possibility of improved public health outcomes – users will remain as users with increasing incidence of STD & death.
Unfortunately, the US would rather spend untold sums on the War on Drugs, and on the incarceration of users. Apparently it is still un-American (to some) to invest those sums in public health.
Is it that public health is socialism, while war is not?
This is yet another instance where US policy demonstrates a foundation built on ideology, not facts. I’m hopeful that the Obama Administration can transform US healthcare into a form more suitable for a first world nation. One that provides health services for all, according to need. That’s not socialism. It’s common humanity.
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