Posted by ed_uk on June 13, 2005, at 20:23:13
In reply to Re: Decriminalisation would at least be step in right, posted by Nickengland on June 12, 2005, at 11:04:28
Hi Nick!
>.........do you think you're ideas will happen for any given country in our life-time?
As far as I know, it's legal to possess any drug in Portugal - but it's not legal to sell them.
'Until July 1, 2001, drug use, possession, and acquisition in Portugal were punishable by penalties up to 3 months in prison or a fine for small quantities. For amounts that exceeded a three-day supply, the penalty was up to a year in prison or a fine. Then in April 2001 a Regulation Decree was adopted and led to the implementation of the November 2000 law, Law 30/2000. On July 1, 2001, Law 30/2000 took effect in Portugal, decriminalizing drug use, possession and acquisition for the "casual" user as well as the addict.
While drug use, possession, and acquisition are still illicit activities in Portugal, these acts have been decriminalized. Acts that could once bring a prison sentence of three months to a year will now result in the confiscation of the illicit substance and a referral, not to a trial, but to a three-person commission to evaluate the offender. Under this new law, non-addicts may receive monetary fines or other penalties, while addicts will only receive non-monetary penalties. The three-person commission will most likely consist of a lawyer, a doctor, and a social assistant to evaluate the individual's level of addiction and recommend treatment options with the goal of rehabilitating the offender. Administrative sanctions may be used, but are not the primary objective of this new law. This new law did not legalize drug use, but removed criminal penalties for use, possession, and acquisition for all illicit drugs in quantities up to a 10-day supply.'
Kind regards,
Ed.
poster:ed_uk
thread:506791
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20050509/msgs/512273.html