Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working (2017)

theguardian.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

61–70 of 252 posts

Re: Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working (2017)

#61

Post by jdavis703 »

jakelazaroff wrote: post #46
lostmymind66 wrote: post #17

Because Portugal doesn't have countries like Mexico bordering it that will use the legal drug trade to further fund cartel violence and control over the country. Corruption is already so rampant, they need to fix their problems before we should ever think about legalizing all drugs. We already have an Opioid crises in the US..and this is with legal drugs. Lawmakers are already starting to blame the legal drug dealers…

If you follow your prescription and become addicted to an opioid, and your doctor received kickbacks for prescribing it from the pharmaceutical company, despite the fact that the pharmaceutical company knew it was addictive… you should be able to sue, and I'd even go so far to say as someone should be prosecuted. It's not "my body, my choice" with prescription drugs, because I didn't choose. I just trusted my doctor.…

I'm not sure you should put blind trust in your doctor. My doctor recently prescribed a medicine I hadn't heard of before. I told him I wanted to research it first, but I'd take the initial prescription and let him know if I decided against taking it. Barring a situation where you're not concious, always do your own research and get a second medical opinion if things seem confusing!

Re: Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working (2017)

#62

Post by icebraining »

rolltiide wrote: post #39
atemerev wrote: post #23

“The world” is not just US and UK. Here in Switzerland, you can register as e.g. a heroin user, and be provided with cheap Swiss pharmaceutical quality heroin, for the nominal price, in specialized centers for drug users (you obviously can’t take it away, consumption is only allowed on premises — where medical and psychological help is available, and counseling programs for quitting drugs are advertised). The program…

Up to 1% of THC which is useless, according to the total absense of peer reviewed clinical trials on CBD and also no fun. Europe would be perfect if literally anywhere got this sorted out Sure, the general lack of life ruining prison sentences is ok and a stark contrast from the US, Middle East and South East Asia. And further decriminalization is ok. But where are the gummies! The edibles! Recreational highs from a…

> But where are the gummies! The edibles!

Amsterdam? I don't know if the culture compares, but there are edibles, and it certainly felt casual and relaxed to me when I visited.

Re: Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working (2017)

#63

Post by jdavis703 »

rolltiide wrote: post #60
jdavis703 wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's FDA approved CBD drugs like Epidiolex to treat seizures. There's also evidence it alleviates anxiety (it certainly has helped me manage mine at times). Yeah it's not fun like THC but that doesn't make it useless.

Thanks, it was hyperbole rooted in missing the latest information (Epidiolex being approved only in June 2018) My main point is about whats available in Europe

I try to be skeptical about medical claims, especially around alternative medicine. But there's a good axiom: the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

Considering that doing "gold standard" FDA approved double blind tests has long been illegal for marijuana-based therapies I kind of had to trust myself and others (for example a cancer survivor who claimed CBD moderatated their headaches) that there were some therapeutic benefits. This was especially true as some people claimed that after using traditional therapies it just didn't work for them or the unintended side effects weren't acceptable.

Re: Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working (2017)

#64

Post by rdl »

daenz wrote: post #31
adamcharnock wrote: post #21

From what I hear (as someone now living in rural Portugal), a turning point came when most of the electorate knew someone suffering from a drug addiction. Be it a family member, partner, or friend - there came a point when the majority of people could not only see the problems caused by the epidemic, but could also empathise with those with addictions. As a result of this understanding/empathy, it was possible to pas…

For obvious reasons, I think many people would be against the suggestion that if more people were suffering from life-destroying drug addiction, a turning point would be reached and the problem would be solved faster. Surely there is a way to push back the spread of drugs and addiction, without letting it overtake society first.

It isn't just numbers. It has to be people who voters/others in power empathize with. The "crack epidemic" of the 80s never would have achieved that. Opiate addiction sort of approaches it (definitely does in some states).

Re: Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working (2017)

#65

Post by rdl »

gumby wrote: post #48
1024core wrote: post #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.

Indeed, for opiates the DEA makes it essentially impossible for addicts to get working treatment like Suboxone, basically guaranteeing they’ll continue to be arrested and/or OD.

Is there a high abuse potential for suboxone? Would it be dangerous to just completely de-schedule it (either OTC, or at least make it 18+ at a pharmacy on request)?

Re: Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working (2017)

#67

Post by xfitm3 »

daenz wrote: post #31
adamcharnock wrote: post #21

From what I hear (as someone now living in rural Portugal), a turning point came when most of the electorate knew someone suffering from a drug addiction. Be it a family member, partner, or friend - there came a point when the majority of people could not only see the problems caused by the epidemic, but could also empathise with those with addictions. As a result of this understanding/empathy, it was possible to pas…

For obvious reasons, I think many people would be against the suggestion that if more people were suffering from life-destroying drug addiction, a turning point would be reached and the problem would be solved faster. Surely there is a way to push back the spread of drugs and addiction, without letting it overtake society first.

> Surely there is a way to push back the spread of drugs and addiction, without letting it overtake society first.

Uneducated comment.

Re: Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working (2017)

#68

Post by conanbatt »

1024core wrote: post #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.

I got the exact opposite vibe: marihuana legalization in the us is all about increasing tax revenue.

Re: Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working (2017)

#69

Post by dmix »

coretx wrote: post #40

Because half of the security industrial complex and the USA would go bankrupt.

It’s illegal in Canada (everything besides weed) and most of the western and non western world too.

We don’t have private prisons or even a separate agency like the DEA whose job is directly tied to drugs. It’s very much still a cultural reality people haven’t accepted. Although it doesn’t help with the gov agencies constantly fear mongering or straight up lying.

Re: Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working (2017)

#70

Post by conanbatt »

atemerev wrote: post #23

“The world” is not just US and UK. Here in Switzerland, you can register as e.g. a heroin user, and be provided with cheap Swiss pharmaceutical quality heroin, for the nominal price, in specialized centers for drug users (you obviously can’t take it away, consumption is only allowed on premises — where medical and psychological help is available, and counseling programs for quitting drugs are advertised). The program…

> And yes, marijuana is now fully legalized (up to some percentages of THC) and you can buy it with grocery stores just like cigarettes. Nobody seems to be particularly interested, there were no significant changes in consumption culture, etc.

I disagree. I find the inundation of marijuana products in San Francisco pretty shocking and frankly as disagreable as general alcohol ads.

Post reply on HN