TY  - RPRT
        AU  - Félix, Sónia
AU  - Portugal, Pedro
AU  - Tavares, Ana
        TI  - Going after the Addiction, Not the Addicted: The Impact of Drug Decriminalization in Portugal
        PY  - 2017/Jul/
        PB  - Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
        CY  - Bonn
        T2  - IZA Discussion Paper
        IS  - 10895
        UR  - https://www.iza.org/publications/dp10895
        AB  - 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.
        KW  - drug decriminalization policy
KW  - illicit drugs
KW  - synthetic control method
        ER  -