%0 Report
        %A Félix, Sónia
%A Portugal, Pedro
%A Tavares, Ana
        %T Going after the Addiction, Not the Addicted: The Impact of Drug Decriminalization in Portugal
        %D 2017
        %8 2017 Jul
        %I Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
        %C Bonn
        %7 IZA Discussion Paper
        %N 10895
        %U https://www.iza.org/index.php/publications/dp10895
        %X This paper investigates the impact of drug decriminalization in Portugal using the Synthetic Control Method. The applied econometric methodology compares Portuguese drug-related variables with the ones extracted from a convex combination of similar European countries. The results suggest that a policy change implemented in Portugal contributed to a decrease in the number of heroine and cocaine seizures, a decrease in the number of offenses and drug-related deaths, and a decrease in the number of clients entering treatment. Moreover, the policy change contributed to a reduction in the incidence of drug addicts among HIV individuals.
        %K drug decriminalization policy
%K illicit drugs
%K synthetic control method