Facts & Studies

Since 2001, all drugs have been decriminalized in Portugal. According to EUDA reports: drug deaths are among the lowest in Europe, HIV infections among drug users have drastically decreased, more people in treatment, fewer incarcerations for drug offenses.

The Model:

• Possession of small amounts is no longer a crime
• Instead: Referral to "Dissuasion Commissions"
• Focus on health, not punishment
• Massive investments in treatment and prevention

* Exact figures vary by source and measurement period. See EUDA reports for current data.

Sources: EUDA, Transform Drug Policy Foundation

The Swiss heroin dispensing program (since 1994) shows according to the Federal Office of Public Health: significant reduction in acquisitive crime, improved social integration, measurable health improvements. The program is evaluated as successful by the Swiss government.

The Model:

• Heroin-Assisted Treatment (HAT) for severely addicted
• Pharmaceutically pure heroin under medical supervision
• Daily visits to specialized clinics
• Integrated into comprehensive treatment program

* Based on official evaluations by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health.

Sources: Swiss Federal Office of Public Health

Despite coffeeshops, cannabis use in the Netherlands is below the EU average. The model shows: tolerance doesn't automatically lead to higher use.

The Model:

• "Gedoogbeleid" – Tolerance policy for cannabis
• Licensed coffeeshops may sell up to 5g
• Strict rules: No advertising, no minors, no hard drugs
• Separation of cannabis and other drug markets

* Use rates according to EUDA vary by survey methodology.

Sources: EUDA Netherlands Report

Sweden currently pursues one of Europe's hardest repression courses against gang crime: More police, harsher penalties, faster deportations. Yet gang violence, drug crime, and recruitment of minors remain at high levels. The country shows what happens when repression is chosen over regulation.

The Current Strategy:

• Harshest penalties, faster deportations of allegedly criminal foreigners
• New laws against gang membership and "socially harmful behavior"
• More police, surveillance, repression policy
• Political narrative: Migration = Crime

What Sweden Shows:

Simply "cracking down harder" doesn't solve the underlying causes. As long as the drug market remains illegal, profit margins are high enough that every risk pays off. Gangs continue recruiting, violence shifts, the problem persists. Regulation addresses the structural causes: controlled substances, legal supply chains, deprivation of income sources for cartels. Sweden's path demonstrates: Without political vision for regulation, the mantra of "harder, faster, deport" always threatens – a policy that fights symptoms without curing the disease.

Sources: Tagesspiegel, Brottsförebyggande rådet (Brå)

Canada was the first G7 country to fully legalize cannabis. The model shows how a regulated market can be built – with lessons for other countries.

The Model:

• Federal legalization with provincial implementation
• Licensed producers and retail outlets
• Strict quality controls and packaging regulations
• Age limit 18-19 (depending on province)

* Based on Statistics Canada and Health Canada reports.

Sources: Health Canada, Statistics Canada