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How does this compare to Portugal’s wild success when it comes to decriminalizing hard drugs? Seems like SF is a way less useful example.

• tlogan 3y ago
  Portugal is disaster. I went there but here is a link [1] :( [1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/07/07/portugal-drugs-decriminalization-heroin-crack/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/07/07/portugal-dru...
  • tremon 3y ago
    It's due to budget cuts over the last decade: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-portugal-drugs-idUSBRE87C0N120120813 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-portugal-drugs-idUSBRE87C... (2012) > APDES, a non-governmental agency for social projects, warned in a report earlier this year that a range of harm reduction service providers were facing bankruptcy, while the “IDT closure endangers the future of the drug treatment system in general”. The last paragraph has some essential observation: > "There is a lesson there [..] Such spending has to be countercyclical. People need it the most in downturns, not when your economy is growing."
• anon84873628 3y ago
  I suspect there may be a network effects / regulatory arbitrage problem. If only a small number of places decriminalize drugs, that will attract lots of drug addicts without being able to support them. The policies need to be more universal in order for them to bear fruit... Though I realize this sounds like doubling down on failure. It would explain why a country wide program like Portugal could be more successful.
• epolanski 3y ago
  It backlashed in Portugal in recent years actually.