Research commissioned by the Cato Institute and led by Glenn Greenwald found that in the five years after the start of decriminalization, illegal drug use by teenagers had declined, the rate of HIV infections among drug users had dropped, deaths related to heroin and similar drugs had been cut by more than half, and ...

Has Portugal decriminalized drugs worked?

Portugal was not the first country to decriminalise some or all drugs, and it has not been the last. However, it is one of the most prominent and influential. The Portuguese model directly influenced the 2020 decriminalisation measure passed in Oregon, for example, as well as proposed decriminalisation in Norway.

What does decriminalizing drugs mean?

One means to reduce the number of people swept into the criminal justice system (or deported) for drug law violations is to decriminalize drug use and possession. Decriminalization is the removal of criminal penalties for drug law violations (usually possession for personal use).