How a Canadian decriminalization model can improve on Portugal
In the Portugal system, people with drugs on their person may still be stopped by police or arrested
Filter (US)
Tuesday, October 6, 2020
Tuesday, October 6, 2020
On August 17, 2020, the director of public prosecutions in Canada issued new guidelines under which federal prosecutors are to resort to criminal prosecution for possession only in the “most serious” cases – that is, where accompanying circumstances or conduct are deemed to pose a risk to others. It’s a potential, tentative de facto decriminalization. Recommended responses to possession of smaller quantities comprise addiction treatment (including Indigenous cultural or abstinence-based recovery centres), counseling, or restorative justice (including Indigenous restorative justice programs) among others. Some media outlets instantly announced that Canada was decriminalizing. Others, including Filter, have been warier.
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