On Twitter, the spread of a graph, which shows the amazing results of decriminalization, like Portugal, carried out in 2001. Mortality rates have been reduced from 369 of the dead 1999, up to 30 dead in 2016. A reduction of more than 90 per cent.
the Problem is that the numbers are wrong. During the period, Portugal has changed the way to work, and now applies to a narrower definition than in the past. The numbers are simply not comparable.
now, If you compare the new way of counting was the Portugal of the 60 drug-related deaths in 1999, to 51 in the 2017 as the year in which the country’s narkotikamyndighet the published statistics). After a sharp decline in the first years, the mortality rate has risen again and is now at levels similar to that prior to the decriminalisation.
a report on the decriminalisation of drugs in Portugal „. , We are confident that Sweden can learn from their example, however, the learning process must be based on facts rather than misconceptions, or simply the wishful thinking.
In Portugal is likely to have other interventions – improve the quality of care and treatment, for example – played a crucial role in this.
According to statistics compiled by the European monitoring centre for drugs and drug addiction (EMCDDA), Sweden is among the countries with the highest drug-related mortality rate and Portugal is at the bottom. The report, however, shows that there are significant differences in the way in which to measure all of the comparisons will be meaningless. The years that we have been able to compare it and so did Sweden, with twice as many post-mortem examinations, and three times as many of the analyses, which is the case with Portugal. In Sweden more than 75 percent of those who die of the drug in the body of the EMCDDA’s statistics of drug-related mortality, while the equivalent in Portugal, 5 per cent.
The narrow scope of drug-related mortality rate also means that the statistics will be skewed, Portugal have, for many years, had a high mortality rate of hiv/aids among injecting drug users in Sweden is close to zero), but these cases are not included in the EMCDDA’s statistics. In addition, Portugal has more than twice the number of deaths each year, of which the doctor classified as ”of unknown cause” – there are probably many unrecorded cases.
the Use of the drug, and all possession is still illegal. The sentence has been moved from the judiciary system into a new agency under the ministry of health, but are judged still to a fine, community service order or other enforcement action. The police are doing the same job, as it was reported to them that the use or possession of drugs, even when dealing with small quantities.
The main difference is that those who go there do not face a prosecutor, but as a so-called avrådningskommission. A quick investigation reveals that the person is addicted or not, and those who are considered to be a dependent, please refer to the health care. Health care is mandatory, if it is not completed and has commissions with the opportunity to take to the imposition of sanctions of a different kind.
a Person who is not a dependent, and the face of the commission, for the first time is usually a warning, but they’ll be back within the next five years there will be significant fines and penalties. The commissions have a long list of sanctions to use, ranging from suspension of driving licence, prohibition to reside in certain places, community work, or the administration of public funds.
in Total, there were over 30 action points, which doubled the resources, primarily health care and prevention was a fundamental part of it. The number of treatment places has increased rapidly, at the same time, as health care is organised in a way that made a lot of short waiting times and good communication between the various treatment centres.
the use of cannabis has increased in Portugal following decriminalisation. Among 15-to 16-year-olds, the proportion who had used cannabis has increased from 9% in 1999 to 15 per cent by 2015. Sweden is 7 per cent.) The number of young people who used cannabis in the past 30 days, has risen from 5 percent to 8 percent over the same period of time. It is located in Sweden on 2%.
if you Look at the countries in Europe that have decriminalized the drug, so the results vary when it comes to drug-related mortality is very low. Portugal is, as has already been mentioned, is low on the list. Estonia – which are on top of the list – is also a criminal offence is not referred to as often. In the rest of the countries can be seen both increases and decreases. It is difficult to see any clear correlation between the decriminalization and the reduction of the mortality rate.
This is the head of the Portuguese narkotikamyndighet Sicad, João Goulão, and press when you talk about the changes they have implemented: ”the Decriminalization, are not magic bullet. Do it alone, so things will be a lot worse.” The health care of crucial importance to also explain that the mortality rate in Portugal has risen again in the last ten years, After the financial crisis of 2008, the health care and behandlingssektorn is exposed to significant financial savings.
all in all, it is clear that Sweden has a lot to learn from Portugal, but the lessons learned are the most likely to other than those to which many of the advocates of decriminalization would like to see. In this report, we have read most of what has been published in peer-reviewed journals on the reform of Portugal, we visited the behandlingsorganisationer, and interviews with both senior officials, as representatives of the avrådningskommissionerna. Our conclusions are the following:
Decriminalization in and of itself does not seem to reduce drug-related mortality. : There is a chance that a decriminalization bill will receive repeated impacts, which may promote the use of illegal drugs.
the most ambitious venture in the care and treatment of the played probably a decisive role in the positive results that Portugal has seen.
Regardless of how the differences in terms of mortality looks like in real life, Sweden is unacceptably high. is a Rapid and well co-ordinated care is a major key to reduce the death rate here in Sweden is much to be learned by the Portuguese.
the Link to the graphic
