“The global experiment of marijuana legalization”
In 2016, more countries legalized the use of marijuana for medicinal or recreational purposes. Marijuana, or cannabis, is “the most widely cultivated, produced, trafficked and consumed drug worldwide,” according to the World Drug Report, but its legality has long been a topic of debate worldwide.
In the US, Maine recently confirmed legalized recreational marijuana use, joining seven other states and the District of Columbia. Medical marijuana is now legal in more than half of US states. This mirrors a global trend. Canada approved both legalization and regulation of the drug in 2016, joining Uruguay as the only other country to do so. Ireland, Australia, Jamaica and Germany approved measures for its medicinal use this year. Decisions are still pending in South Africa. Australia granted permission for businesses to apply for licenses to manufacture or cultivate marijuana products for medicinal purposes and to conduct related research.
They join more than 20 countries worldwide trialing legislation regarding access to marijuana and exploring possible benefits. But as with the drug itself, the laws vary, as does the potency of control, and the world is waiting to learn what will work best….
Portugal is a pioneer when it comes to drug reform laws, as the nation decriminalized the possession of all drugs — not just cannabis — for personal use in 2001. As a result, the country holds the greatest body of evidence about the impact such a change can have on policy.
“We were a social laboratory,” said João Castel-Branco Goulão, director-general of the General-Directorate for Intervention on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies in Lisbon. But filtering out the specific impact in terms of cannabis is difficult. “Experiments are now taking place in other parts of the world,” he said.
Having trialed drug reform for more than a decade, Goulão believes that when it comes to defining what’s needed for cannabis, there must be a clear distinction between discussions for medicinal and recreational use to “avoid confusion.” “People mix medicinal and recreational use,” he said. However, he acknowledges that the basis for medicinal benefits from marijuana is strong, with a range of experts, including himself, recognizing its use to alleviate chronic pain, muscle spasms, anxiety, and nausea and vomiting — most of which are linked to a variety of disorders, including multiple sclerosis and cancer treatment. “I have no problems with medicinal marijuana,” Goulão said. “There are conditions I believe can benefit from cannabis use.”
Multiple countries have decriminalized personal possession of marijuana, including the Netherlands, Mexico, Czech Republic, Costa Rica and Portugal, in an attempt to address societal problems associated with its use….
Evidence also shows that removing penalties for drug use hasn’t led to an increase in drug use in Portugal, as many voices in the opposition would argue. Instead, it reinforces the fact that criminal drug laws do little to deter people from using them, according to a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Despite these benefits, Goulão believes that leaping straight into full legalization, rather than decriminalization, is not a wise move. “They are jumping a step,” he said, referring to countries such as Uruguay, Canada and some US states. They should instead “decriminalize and watch carefully,” he said.