## Decriminalization

#### The decriminalization of marijuana and other drugs has been demonstrated to massively reduce gang violence and decimate illegal markets.

*   [The Economic Journal: Gavrilova et al. 17](http://conference.iza.org/conference_files/riskonomics2015/zoutman_f21865.pdf)
    *   Analyses the effects of medical marijuana laws, which institute lax criminal penalties, on homicides and drug prices at the southern border.
    *   The study concludes that, when such policies are implemented:
        *   **violent crimes** such as homicides and robberies **decrease** in states that border Mexico
        *   **homicides decrease**, (due to drug-law and juvenile-gang related homicides being reduced)
        *   the amount of cocaine seized at the border decreases, while the **price of cocaine is increased** (this makes it harder to obtain due to the strainput on the illegal market)
*   [Drug Policy Alliance 15](http://www.drugpolicy.org/sites/default/files/DPA_Fact_Sheet_Portugal_Decriminalization_Feb2015.pdf)
    *   An empirical analysis of drug decriminalization in Portugal
    *   As a result of decriminalizing all drugs, Portugal experienced:
        *   No major increase in **overall drug use**
        *   Reduced problematic and **adolescent drug use**
        *   Reduced **drug-induced death**
        *   More people receiving **drug treatment**
            *   Over **70 percent** of those who seek treatment receive opioid-substitution therapy
            *   This is while treatment is **still voluntary**
        *   **Reduction in HIV** cases among people who use drugs declining from 1,575 to 78
        *   **18% reduction** in the **social costs** of drug misuse (legal and health related)
    *   The European Union also confirmed in 2013 that countries like Portugal that have decriminalized drug possession,  have not experienced increases in monthly rates of use – and in fact tend to have lower rates than countries with punitive policies
    *   Separate informational piece - the [Drug Policy Alliance](http://www.drugpolicy.org/sites/default/files/dpa-drug-decriminalization-portugal-health-human-centered-approach_0.pdf) also notes also that overdose deaths **decreased by over 80%**