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Portugal decriminalized drugs 25 years ago, but the real lesson is what it built around this policy
The model links people to treatment and harm reduction services, and new HIV diagnoses tied to injection drug use fell 97% from 2005 to 2024.
- 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of Portugal's landmark decision to decriminalize the possession of all drugs for personal use, centering national policy on public health and harm reduction.
- Portugal adopted this approach during a heroin crisis in the 1990s, when roughly 1% of the population was addicted and the country faced the highest HIV incidence in the European Union.
- New HIV diagnoses associated with injection drug use fell from 583 in 2005 to 19 in 2024, a decline of roughly 97%, while more than 24,000 people received specialized care in 2023.
- Unlike Portugal, Oregon's 2020 Measure 110 struggled with implementation; a December 2025 state audit cited unstable leadership and delayed services, prompting lawmakers to recriminalize possession in 2024.
- Reducing drug-related harms requires building and sustaining integrated systems that connect people with treatment and social support, rather than relying solely on changing drug laws.
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24 Articles
24 Articles
The Guam Daily Post+23 Reposted by 23 other sources
Portugal decriminalized drugs 25 years ago, but the real lesson is what it built around this policy
Portugal’s remarkable public health strides after changing its approach to drugs may not be replicable in other countries absent broader systemic reforms.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources24
Leaning Left3Leaning Right7Center11Last UpdatedBias Distribution53% Center
Bias Distribution
- 53% of the sources are Center
53% Center
14%
C 53%
R 33%
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