The fight to make Hawaii the first state in the United States to think about decriminalized every drug just saw another victory. The entire Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor voted earlier this week to approve a resolution urging the state’s Legislative Reference Bureau to “conduct a study on the feasibility and advisability of decriminalizing the illegal possession of drugs” to ensure that it “would constitute an administrative or civil violation rather than a criminal offense.”
And in February, a group of leading health specialists from around the globe wanted to decriminalize all drugs internationally. According to the commission, full decriminalization can result in “significant financial savings, less incarceration, significant public health benefits and no significant increase in drug use.” The commission was organized by British medical journal The Lancet and United States medical school Johns Hopkins University.
Fifteen years ago, in 2001, Portugal decriminalized all drugs, including cannabis, heroin as well as cocaine. While utilizing and owning the drugs are not yet legal, those caught with small increments of drugs are not incarcerated. Instead, they are taken to three-member commissions that can recommend treatment or give fines. Drug trafficking and sales are still punishable as crimes. According to a Cato Institute Report from 2009, since decriminalization was put into use, teenagers have been using drugs less along with drug-related deaths and HIV/AIDS rates among druggies. Also, there is a higher drug treatment rate.
“The Portuguese model referenced in the resolution shows the most dramatic evidence of the success of a public health approach,” Pam Lichty, president of the Drug Policy Action Group, wrote. “By abolishing criminal penalties for possession of illegal drugs sixteen years ago, Portugal has achieved excellent results through a wide array of options: administrative sanctions, community services, drug treatment or other types of community-based rehabilitation programs. This enlightened, holistic approach has saved money, saved lives, reduced crime and improved the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.”
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