All in the Mind - Decrimalising Drugs
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Claudia Hammond travels to Lisbon to find out how decrimalising drugs could help addicts, after Portugal became the only European country to do so, for all drugs, in 2001.
Claudia Hammond travels to Portugal to find out how decrimalising drugs could help addicts.
In 2001, Portugal became the only European country to decriminalise all drugs, from cannabis to heroin. Claudia reports from Lisbon to find out how the policy has affected drug use in the intervening years.
Drug use is still illegal but users are not considered criminals. If caught with drugs, they are most likely to be offered treatment and, if they accept, it is most likely that sanctions will be waived. Claudia visits a drug treatment centre to find out how addicts are helped to kick the habit. She also talks to psychologists at one of Portugal's Dissuasion Commissions to find out how first-time users are discouraged from continuing drug use.
Claudia asks if the Portuguese experiment could ever transfer to the UK.
- Broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 4:30PM Wed, 17 Jun 2009
- Available until 12:00AM Thu, 1 Jan 2099
- First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9:00PM Tue, 16 Jun 2009
- Categories
- Duration 30 minutes
