Drug Decriminalization in Portugal: Lessons for Creating Fair and Successful Drug Policies

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glenn Greenwald
Keyword(s):  
Drug Policies ◽  
Drug Decriminalization

scholarly journals On the biopolitics of humane drug policies: What can we learn from 19th century sobriety boards?

2021 ◽  
pp. 145507252110158
Author(s):  
Kenneth Arctander Johansen ◽  
Michel Vandenbroeck ◽  
Stijn Vandevelde
Keyword(s):  
19Th Century ◽  
Drug Policy ◽  
Policy Reforms ◽  
Chief Executives ◽  
Critical Studies ◽  
Drug Policies ◽  
Drug Dependent ◽  
And Control ◽  
The 19Th Century ◽  
Drug Policy Reform

Background: In accordance with recommendations from The United Nations’ Chief Executives Board of Coordination, several countries are in the process of reforming their punitive drug policies towards health-based approaches – from punishment to help. The Portuguese model of decriminalisation is generally seen as a good model for other countries and has been scientifically described in favourable terms, and not much scrutinised. Method: This article draws on foucauldian archaeological and genealogical approaches in order to understand and compare governance logics of the 19th century Norwegian sobriety boards and 21st century Portuguese commissions. In doing this, we problematize contemporary drug policy reform discussions that point to the “Portuguese model”, which aims to stop punishing and start helping drug-dependent people, are problematised. Findings: The Portuguese commissions investigate whether drug-using people are dependent or not. Dependency, circumstances of consumption and their economy are considered when the commission decides on penalising, assisting, or treating the person, or a combination of all this. This model was studied alongside the Norwegian sobriety boards mandated by the Sobriety Act that was implemented in 1932. Sobriety boards governed poor alcoholics. Authorities from the sobriety movement were central in creating sobriety policies that culminated in sobriety boards. The Portuguese commissions have similarities to Norwegian sobriety boards. They make use of sanctions and treatment to govern people who use illicit substances to make them abstain, with the view that this is emancipatory for these people. The different apparatuses have distinct and different ways of making up, and governing their subjects. Conclusion: This article contributes to debates on drug policy reforms and aims to investigate whether they might produce biopower effects of governance masked by an emancipatory language. There is a need for critical studies on drug policy reforms to avoid policies that maintain divisions and control marginalised populations.

scholarly journals Unintended consequences of drug policies experienced by young drug users in contact with the criminal justice systems

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-47
Author(s):  
Jacek Moskalewicz ◽  
Katarzyna Dąbrowska ◽  
Maria Dich Herold ◽  
Franca Baccaria ◽  
Sara Rolando ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Drug Users ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Criminal Justice Systems ◽  
Drug Policies ◽  
Justice Systems

NFL Football

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard C. Crepeau
Keyword(s):  
Early Retirement ◽  
National Football League ◽  
First Century ◽  
Collective Bargaining Agreement ◽  
Success Story ◽  
New Era ◽  
Drug Policies ◽  
History Of ◽  
American Society

A multibillion-dollar entertainment empire, the National Football League is a coast-to-coast obsession that borders on religion and dominates our sports-mad culture. But today's NFL also provides a stage for playing out important issues roiling American society. This updated and expanded edition of NFL Football observes the league's centennial by following the NFL into the twenty-first century, where off-the-field concerns compete with touchdowns and goal line stands for headlines. Richard C. Crepeau delves into the history of the league and breaks down the new era with an in-depth look at the controversies and dramas swirling around pro football today:  Tensions between players and Commissioner Roger Goodell over collusion, drug policies, and revenue, including analysis of the 2020 collective bargaining agreement  The firestorm surrounding Colin Kaepernick and protests of police violence and inequality  Andrew Luck and others choosing early retirement over the threat to their long-term health  Paul Tagliabue's role in covering up information on concussions  The Super Bowl's evolution into a national holiday Authoritative and up to the minute, NFL Football continues the epic American success story.

scholarly journals Regular access and adherence to medications of the specialized component of pharmaceutical services

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 109
Author(s):  
Janaína Soder Fritzen ◽  
Fabiane Raquel Motter ◽  
Vera Maria Vieira Paniz
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Pharmaceutical Services ◽  
Free Access ◽  
Rio Grande Do Sul ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Robust Variance ◽  
Free Data ◽  
Drug Policies ◽  
Continuous Use

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of the adherence to the medications of the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services and its association with regular access in users of these medications in the municipality of São Leopoldo, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study with adults aged 20 years and over, who are users of medications of the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services. Sampling was carried out consecutively for users who accessed the service of the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services during the period from December 2014 to March 2015. Adherence was measured by the Brief Medication Questionnaire, and adherents were defined as those who did not present barriers to adherence in the three domains. Regular access was defined as getting all edications in the last three months, regardless of how it was obtained (paying or for free). Data analysis was performed using Poisson regression with robust variance. RESULTS: We nterviewed 414 subjects, being them mostly women (60.9%), with mean age of 55 years (SD = 13), and using a single medication of the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services (68.1%). The prevalence of adherence to the medications used in the last seven days was 28.3% and the prevalence of free regular access was 46.1%, and 25.7% did not have access to all treatment. After adjusting for the number of medications in the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services and the number of medications of continuous use, users who had free regular access in the last three months were 60% more likely to show adherence. For individuals with paid regular access, no association was found between access and adherence. CONCLUSIONS: The regularity in the free access to the medications of the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services has an impact on the behavior of users, contributing to their commitment to treatment and self-care. The Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services needs programming in order to avoid irregular access, which suggests a significant limitation of the drug policies in Brazil.

Cannabis Consumption in Amsterdam, Bremen and San Francisco: A Three-City Comparison of Long-Term Cannabis Consumption

2002 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 395-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanne Borchers-Tempel ◽  
Birgitta Kolte
Keyword(s):  
San Francisco ◽  
Consumption Patterns ◽  
Research Focus ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Drug Policies ◽  
Cannabis Consumption ◽  
The City ◽  
Detailed Questionnaire ◽  
Consumer Types

Long-term cannabis consumers in Amsterdam, Bremen and San Francisco were asked in a detailed questionnaire about their experiences with cannabis products. The research focus was the question of how the consumption of cannabis is realized under the conditions established through different drug policies. The research utilized a sample of 522 cannabis consumers exhibiting a wide range of experiences and different consumption patterns. The authors were able to elaborate five 1different consumer types. The prevalence of these specific user types was closely associated with the city where the consumers reside. There were also some direct consequences of the different drug politics in place in the different cities, such as the level of fear associated with the potential criminal consequences of use, and the sources for the purchase of cannabis products.

The Euphoric Sensations of Cigarettes: Exploring How Operant Conditioning May Be the Missing Link in the Theoretical Understanding of Antidrug Policies

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 485-502
Author(s):  
Elizabeth L. Borkowski ◽  
Wanda E. Leal
Keyword(s):  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Operant Conditioning ◽  
Smoking Behavior ◽  
Add Health ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Cigarette Use ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Negative Experiences ◽  
Drug Policies ◽  
Positive Experiences

This study aims to examine how positive and negative reinforcers during an individual’s first few cigarettes (cigarette initiation experiences) are associated with adulthood smoking behavior. Respondents from the Add Health were asked about subjective feelings during their first few cigarettes. Using ordinary least squares (OLS) and logistic regression, we examine the differential effects of positive and negative cigarette initiation experiences on 30-day cigarette use in adulthood and lifetime nicotine dependence. The results indicate that all measures of positive cigarette initiation experiences are positively associated with both cigarette measures; however, the opposite is not true of negative cigarette initiation experiences. The results highlight the misconceptions of antidrug policies aimed at punishment of users, by indicating that positive experiences influence later cigarette use more than negative experiences. These findings suggest that drug policies and initiatives aimed at punishment may be misguided and could benefit from adopting operant conditioning concepts that emphasize reinforcements.

scholarly journals Clinical and forensic aspect’s of the cocaine body packer in senegal

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 52-55
Author(s):  
C. Bigot ◽  
F.O. Ngongang ◽  
E. Nseme ◽  
M. Soumah ◽  
Z. Sando
Keyword(s):  
Medical Care ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Descriptive Study ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Narcotic Drug ◽  
Abdominal Radiography ◽  
Body Packer ◽  
Drug Policies ◽  
Male Subjects

This study aims to describe the clinical and forensic features of the cocaine body packer in Senegal.This research work is a retrospective and descriptive study. It was conducted based on 19 suspect cases attended for medical care at the Hospital of tambacounda. Suspects were exclusively male subjects, aged 24 to 33 years and Nigerian citizens. All of them were asymptomatic. Pelvic touch was positive in 42.1% of cases. Abdominal radiography pointed out that all the suspects presented with damage (100%). The average number of drug pellets carried per person was 43+/- 20 units. Body drug packing is a reality in Senegal. Narcotic drug policies should invest in capacity building by financing effective diagnostic tools.

scholarly journals Barriers and facilitators to adherence to national drug policies on antibiotic prescribing and dispensing in Bangladesh

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fosiul Alam Nizame ◽  
Dewan Muhammad Shoaib ◽  
Emily K. Rousham ◽  
Salma Akter ◽  
Mohammad Aminul Islam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Policy ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Barriers And Facilitators ◽  
Drug Shop ◽  
Antibiotic Prescribing ◽  
National Drug ◽  
National Drug Policy ◽  
Drug Policies ◽  
The Government

Abstract Background The National Drug Policy in Bangladesh prohibits the sale and distribution of antibiotics without prescription from a registered physician. Compliance with this policy is poor; prescribing antibiotics by unqualified practitioners is common and over-the-counter dispensing widespread. In Bangladesh, unqualified practitioners such as drug shop operators are a major source of healthcare for the poor and disadvantaged. This paper reports on policy awareness among drug shop operators and their customers and identifies current dispensing practices, barriers and facilitators to policy adherence. Methods We conducted a qualitative study in rural and urban Bangladesh from June 2019 to August 2020. This included co-design workshops (n = 4) and in-depth interviews (n = 24) with drug shop operators and customers/household members, key informant interviews (n = 12) with key personnel involved in aspects of the antibiotic supply chain including pharmaceutical company representatives, and model drug shop operators; and a group discussion with stakeholders representing key actors in informal market systems namely: representatives from the government, private sector, not-for-profit sector and membership organizations. Results Barriers to policy compliance among drug shop operators included limited knowledge of government drug policies, or the government-led Bangladesh Pharmacy Model Initiative (BPMI), a national guideline piloted to regulate drug sales. Drug shop operators had no clear knowledge of different antibiotic generations, how and for what diseases antibiotics work contributing to inappropriate antibiotic dispensing. Nonetheless, drug shop operators wanted the right to prescribe antibiotics based on having completed related training. Drug shop customers cited poor healthcare facilities and inadequate numbers of attending physician as a barrier to obtaining prescriptions and they described difficulties differentiating between qualified and unqualified providers. Conclusion Awareness of the National Drug Policy and the BPMI was limited among urban and rural drug shop operators. Poor antibiotic prescribing practice is additionally hampered by a shortage of qualified physicians; cultural and economic barriers to accessing qualified physicians, and poor implementation of regulations. Increasing qualified physician access and increasing training and certification of drug shop operators could improve the alignment of practices with national policy.

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