Portugal, 12 Years after Decriminalizing Drugs

[Something completely different]

a link to another article, which shows the positive effects of a loiberal drug policy:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/euro...91060.html

[LastPoet]

Yet, all work is bound to be lost. Due to the bailout program the state is cutting spenditure and the whole effort may be of no use if the support program for addicts is lost.

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ETA: furthermore, economicq difficulties have aggravated the drug abuse.

[Autumnlicious]

It's amazing how much people think the poor should be drug-free.

As if hopelessness, monotony of existing work, and a cycle of poverty isn't going to generate demand for a chemical release. /s

The low middle class to poor clearly are never going to be able to invest in a vacation or find time for engaging activities.

Cue the conservative "If I can do it, so can they" bullshit.

[Something completely different]

Yet, all work is bound to be lost. Due to the bailout program the state is cutting spenditure and the whole effort may be of no use if the support program for addicts is lost.

---

ETA: furthermore, economicq difficulties have aggravated the drug abuse.

You know, I use to support the austerity messures brought up by the Merkel goverment. But currently I am believing that my goverment is wrecking the societies of other european nations. Unfortunatly most of my fellow countrymen dont see it that way. But if a left wing goverment should be elected here in this fall, you can be certain that the austerity messures will stop and that we might take over some of the Portugese debt and encourage spending again.

[thesummerqueen]

I definitely drank more when I lived at my old place with the salary I used to have. When my salary bumped up, I was able to buy a nice camera and got a hobby I could afford.

Ever notice that? Hobbies cost money too. Even "useful" ones. Being poor basically reduces you to either surfing the net or the television or walking.

[LastPoet]

Hell, given the economic vortex this place is in, even drug dealers don't wanna trade here. To the best efforts of portuguese police (also under cutbacks), they use this point more as an entryway to the rest of europe, where they can draw profits.

[Autumnlicious]

"Austerity" is moron for "I can't figure out how to grow the economy so I'll ruin it by reducing demand and total cash flow"

You're supposed to cut costs in good economic times because you can tolerate it and incentivize new business to fill the hole.

So much for so-called "conservatives" being business-friendly...

[LastPoet]

"Austerity" is moron for "I can't figure out how to grow the economy so I'll ruin it by reducing demand and total cash flow"

You're supposed to cut costs in good economic times because you can tolerate it and incentivize new business to fill the hole.

So much for so-called "conservatives" being business-friendly...

There was so much money they could draw somewhere else, like the bankers and big corps... Oh wait, those are the politicians best friends. They only remember about the 'people', when elections are nigh.

[Angrboda]

My recollection of U.S. statistics is that drug and alcohol abuse is no more prevalent among those on welfare than those not on welfare. What this says about the rates of recreational, non-abusive drug use, or use among the poor, are things I would need to investigate, but I suspect the idea of poor people using drugs more frequently than the rest of society may very well be based on nothing more than stereotypes and a desire to demonize the character of the poor.

[Autumnlicious]

Like "entitlements" and "welfare queens" are used as an excuse to cut assistence to the powerless and disenfranchised?