Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working (2017)
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Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working (2017)
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Re: Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working (2017)
#2> Why hasn’t the world copied it?
Because there's too much money* to be made in keeping the status quo.
* I use the terms "money" and "power" to mean the same here.
Re: Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working (2017)
#3> Why hasn’t the world copied it? Because there's too much money* to be made in keeping the status quo. * I use the terms "money" and "power" to mean the same here.
It's unfortunate that this sounds so tin foil hat because it is absolutely true.
There is no grand conspiracy to keep drugs illegal. There is a vast, semi well intentioned system built over a century that people adapted to over time to profit off of and now that they are profiting they are not going to give it up easily. Because of the governmental nature of the people who profit they are also very well positioned to lobby for themselves. The sheer number of small actors who benefit from this system has made it unbelievably entrenched.
Re: Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working (2017)
#4> Why hasn’t the world copied it? Because there's too much money* to be made in keeping the status quo. * I use the terms "money" and "power" to mean the same here.
It's unfortunate that this sounds so tin foil hat because it is absolutely true. There is no grand conspiracy to keep drugs illegal. There is a vast, semi well intentioned system built over a century that people adapted to over time to profit off of and now that they are profiting they are not going to give it up easily. Because of the governmental nature of the people who profit they are also very well positioned to…
Nothing tinfoil hat about it. Drug dealers & cartels are well-known for using force to maintain monopolies.
Re: Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working (2017)
#5In some US cities, San Francisco for example, possession and consumption of drugs is also basically decriminalized, just like in Portugal.
You can openly shot it up your veins in front of cops and nothing will happen to you.
I look forward to more cities adopting this policy of tacit decriminalization.
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/jimdalrympleii/public-d...
https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/philmatier/article/San-F...
Re: Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working (2017)
#6Drug use is seen as a moral failing that must be punished, not as an illness that should be treated.
Re: Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working (2017)
#7But thanks to Reaganomics, prison turned to profits
'Cause free labor's the cornerstone of US economics
'Cause slavery was abolished, unless you are in prison
You think I am bullshittin', then read the 13th Amendment
Involuntary servitude and slavery it prohibits
That's why they givin' drug offenders time in double digits
Killer Mike, "Reagan"
Re: Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working (2017)
#8In some US cities, San Francisco for example, possession and consumption of drugs is also basically decriminalized, just like in Portugal. You can openly shot it up your veins in front of cops and nothing will happen to you. I look forward to more cities adopting this policy of tacit decriminalization. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/jimdalrympleii/public-d... https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/philmatier/artic…
That's not the same than being decriminalized.
In Portugal, if you do that the police will ask you for your ID if it's a light drug like cannabis, or take you to the police center if it's an heavier drug. If you keep being caught by the police a judge can order you to take psychiatric help.
Being decriminalized means that you won't be arrested when you ask for help, and you have access to clean syringes to avoid diseases and infections.
Help being provided, it's not the same than being legal.
Re: Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working (2017)
#9But thanks to Reaganomics, prison turned to profits 'Cause free labor's the cornerstone of US economics 'Cause slavery was abolished, unless you are in prison You think I am bullshittin', then read the 13th Amendment Involuntary servitude and slavery it prohibits That's why they givin' drug offenders time in double digits Killer Mike, "Reagan" https://youtube.com/watch?v=6lIqNjC1RKU
That may be a big part of the reason in the US, but Germany for example isn't big on decriminalization either, and we don't have anything similar to the US prison complex. I think a large part over here is that people think it's wrong and they don't believe in the individual's right to make a choice they consider wrong. Worldwide it's probably a mix of the two: powerful interests profiteering from the status quo and politicians and parts of the voting population not valuing individual freedom that much.
Re: Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working (2017)
#10In some US cities, San Francisco for example, possession and consumption of drugs is also basically decriminalized, just like in Portugal. You can openly shot it up your veins in front of cops and nothing will happen to you. I look forward to more cities adopting this policy of tacit decriminalization. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/jimdalrympleii/public-d... https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/philmatier/artic…
That's not the same than being decriminalized. In Portugal, if you do that the police will ask you for your ID if it's a light drug like cannabis, or take you to the police center if it's an heavier drug. If you keep being caught by the police a judge can order you to take psychiatric help. Being decriminalized means that you won't be arrested when you ask for help, and you have access to clean syringes to avoid dise…
While what you're saying is true, I think that's why the world is afraid to adopt Portugal's policy. If getting halfway there is worse than doing nothing at all, it's a very dangerous thing to try.