[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Good write-up in the G&M on why we shouldn't just stop with pot.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opin...b+Articl+Links

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_policy_of_Portugal

There are, however, statistical indicators that suggest the following correlations between the drug strategy and the following developments, from July 2001 up to 2007:

Increased uptake of treatment (roughly 60% increase as of 2012.)[12]
Reduction in new HIV diagnoses amongst drug users by 17%[19] and a general drop of 90% in drug-related HIV infection
Reduction in drug related deaths, although this reduction has decreased in later years. The number of drug related deaths is now almost on the same level as before the Drug strategy was implemented.[12][19] However, this may be accounted for by improvement in measurement practices, which includes a doubling of toxicological autopsies now being performed, meaning that more drugs related deaths are likely to be recorded.[20]
Reported lifetime use of "all illicit drugs" increased from 7.8% to 12%, lifetime use of cannabis increased from 7.6% to 11.7%, cocaine use more than doubled, from 0.9% to 1.9%, ecstasy nearly doubled from 0.7% to 1.3%, and heroin increased from 0.7% to 1.1%[19] It has been proposed[by whom?] that this effect may have been related to the candor of interviewees, who may have been inclined to answer more truthfully due to a reduction in the stigma associated with drug use.[20] However, during the same period, the use of heroin and cannabis also increased in Spain and Italy, where drugs for personal use was decriminalised many years earlier than in Portugal [20][21] while the use of Cannabis and heroin decreased in the rest of Western Europe.[22][23] The increase in drug use observed among adults in Portugal was not greater than that seen in nearby countries that did not change their drug laws.[24]
Drug use among adolescents (13-15 yrs) and "problematic" users declined.[20]
Drug-related criminal justice workloads decreased.[20]
Decreased street value of most illicit drugs, some significantly
The number of drug related deaths has reduced from 131 in 2001 to 20 in 2008.[25]As of 2012, Portugal's drug death toll sat at 3 per million, in comparison to the EU average of 17.3 per million.
Homicide rate increased 40% between 2001 and 2006 [26]