Fixing Our City: What San Francisco Can Learn From Portugal Decriminalizing Drugs
In the 1990s, Portugal was facing a heroin crisis so widespread that it was almost impossible to find a family unaffected by the opioid. The government responded by aggressively adding health and social services, and by decriminalizing drug possession. Are there takeaways for San Francisco? An episode of The Chronicle's Fixing Our City podcast.
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Show Notes
Portugal’s decision to decriminalize drug possession as of 2001 garnered international attention. But that move was just part of the nation’s broader public health strategy to curb the devastating effects of an opioid epidemic. At the time, on average, Portugal had an overdose death every day. Today, it’s dramatically reduced the number of overdose deaths, HIV infections associated with drug use, and problematic heroin use. Meanwhile in San Francisco, overdose deaths have exploded. Dr. João Goulão, Portugal’s national coordinator for drugs and drug addiction, explains how the country’s approach was shaped and what the results have been. This episode of The Chronicle's Fixing Our City podcast was published Nov. 8. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod
Fixing Our City is part of the San Francisco Chronicle’s SFNext Project
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