last updated 1999
Although recent data suggests a population as high as 100,000
drug addicts, more usual and conservative estimates put the
number of Portuguese drug users between 50,000 and 60,000 out of
a total population of 10 million. One third are concentrated in
the Lisbon area.
In 1996 nearly 10,000 drug users were admitted for the first
treatment, 7,000 in 1995 and 5,000 in 1994. Most of these were
intravenous heroin users. In 1996 172,000 medical consultations
was given to drug users. In 1995, a two day national survey of
980 respondents ammong the users in treatment at governmental
CAT´s (addiction care centers) found that 34% were receiving
naltrexon treatment, 20% were in for methadone substitution and
12.6% for tranquilizers. Users seeking treatment are getting
younger and there are indications that heroin is increasing on
the streets. Poly drug use is also increasing. The overdoses grow
from 33 in 1988 to 196 in 1995. There were 155 drug-related
deaths in 1992, 100 in 93, 142 in 94, and 196 in 95.
For more on this see:
Both traffickers and users face prison sentences or fines. In the case of addicts, incarceration can be commuted to treatment. Withheld judgement or suspended sentences are also possible in Portugal. Portugal is lenient toward occasional users, they are just fined, and users under the age of 21 that promise not to reoffend are usualy not prosecuted. Syringes are freely available and needle exchange programs have been operating since 1993. There is no distinction between hard and soft drugs under Portuguese law.
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There is an interministerial and interinstitutional integrated plan for anti-drugs efforts, called "Project Life", in effect since 1987, coordinated in each specific department by the following Ministries: Internal Affairs, Justice, Education, Health, Employment and Social Security, Youth and Adjunct Minister Cabinet. Their aim is to decentralise the response to drugs and to reinforce community initiatives. The areas covered are: information, treatment, rehabilitation, social reinsertion, and supply reduction. Legislation passed in 1982 created the Office for Planning and Coordination of Drug Control that replace the former Office for Coordination of Drug Control created in 1976. Regional and local initiatives have recently been encouraged to promote the involvement of community organizations. In 1990 a national co-ordinator to fight drug abuse was appointed under an interdepartmental program called "VIDA".
For more on this see:
- Governamental Organizations
- The Law and the Law enforcement figures
Portugal uses a wide array of initiatives in its prevention efforts, through a variety of channels: information and awareness campaigns to motivate social groups to become involved in prevention; production and distribution of educational materials targeting specific groups, mass media campaigns and collaboration with the media; a telephone help line; information and educational programmes for specific groups (school environment, parent to parent, youth to youth, professionals); and leisure-time activities with the collaboration of non-governmental organisations.
©
Sergio Inacio
Mario Lap