• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Drug Policy and Law
  • Harm Reduction
  • Activism

Drugreporter

News and Films from the Frontline of the War on Drugs

  • News
  • Café
  • Videos
  • About Us
  • EN
    • HU
    • RU

Cushion Effect: How do We Deal With Austerity in Drug Policy?

November 30, 2015 | Author: Péter Sárosi

Tweet

The consequences of the economic crisis are threatening the continuity of the integrated intervention system that characterises the “Portuguese Model”. Read what our local partner APDES is doing to preserve the country's achievments in the field of drug policy.

“I believe professionals are trying their hardest to overcome this crisis. They are the ones who are going the extra mile so that people won’t feel its effects” (PWUD).

The Portuguese law on illegal drugs was significantly amended in 2001. After the advent of decriminalisation, an innovative comprehensive approach was implemented, combining a legal framework which distinguishes drug use from the commercial drug trade, with an intervention strategy incorporating free access to Prevention, Treatment, Social Reintegration, and Harm Reduction services. The Portuguese Model of Drug Policy (PMDP) became a model of best practice. Now, however, with Portugal suffering from the effects of the European economic and financial crisis, there are concerns for the future of the integrated intervention model that characterises the PMDP. 

Among harm reduction outreach teams working at a community level, reports began to emerge of a perceived lack of investment in services aimed at drug users. It was necessary to understand whether austerity measures had dictated these developments, and if so, what the longer-term trend might be. Were the perceived changes caused by economic issues, or by other factors – political ideology, for instance? Recently, APDES presented the results of a research project on the impact of austerity measures on the PMDP, at the “First European Conference on addictive behaviours and dependencies", held in Lisbon. This project aimed to contribute to a better understanding of these questions.

The main goal of “The austerity measures and the Portuguese model of drug policy: an exploratory mixed-method research” was, on the one hand, to understand how the current austerity measures might be affecting the lives of people who use drugs, as well as the operation of related services – and on the other hand, to analyse whether, and in what ways, practical implementation of the PMDP has been changing.

The conclusions indicate a significant retreat by the State, in terms of its duty of care towards vulnerable people, with this retreat to some extent mitigated by the efforts of Harm Reduction teams. This has been called the 'Cushion Effect’, in a scenario where professionals have been acting as 'stabilisers', off-setting reduced response-levels in the area of drug dependence. The 'Cushion Effect' is a vital part of understanding the various perceptions of the existence and influence of austerity measures in the drugs sphere. Research participants generally agreed, in fact, that the welfare state was in disarray. Another conclusion was that drug-focussed interventions are not being practised as intended – with Prevention and Reintegration work seen to be suffering from a particular lack of investment.

Research Department-APDES

 

Filed Under: Articles Topics: Criminalisation, Drug Policy and Law, European Drug Policy, Harm Reduction

Access to this article is free - but to produce articles and videos is not. Drugreporter is a non-profit website that needs your support to provide you with high quality contents.

Become a supporter and make a donation of 5 $ today!

Kapcsolódó cikkek:

The Italian Anti-Rave Law Violates Human Rights – Interview with Susanna Ronconi

February 1, 2023 - Péter Sárosi

40 Years in the Frontlines of Harm Reduction in Ireland – Interview with Tony Duffin

December 20, 2022 - Péter Sárosi

Decriminalisation in Portugal: Through the Lens of People who Use Drugs

December 5, 2022 - István Gábor Takács

Kapcsolódó videók:

Decriminalisation in Portugal: Through the Lens of People who Use Drugs

December 5, 2022 - István Gábor Takács

Drugreporter News | 2022 November

November 24, 2022 - István Gábor Takács

Harm Reduction in Athens – With the Eye of an Outsider

November 23, 2022 - Péter Sárosi

You can browse our topics here:

Activism COVID-19 Criminalisation Dose of Science Drug Consumption Rooms Drug Policy and Law European Drug Policy Harm Reduction Hepatitis HIV/AIDS Marijuana Policies Medical Marijuana Needle and syringe programs New Psychoactive Substances Opiate Substitution Overdose Prevention Psychedelic Medicines Regulation and Control Russian Drug Policy Sex Work United Nations Drug Policy US Drug Policy

Primary Sidebar

BECOME A SUPPORTER OF DRUGREPORTER! INVEST THE PRICE OF A COFFEE MONTHLY AND MAKE SURE DRUGREPORTER KEEPS RUNNING!
Subscribe to the Newsletter!

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search

Drugreporter Video Database

Hundreds of videos on drug policy, harm reduction and human rights for streaming and download, also on a world map!

DRUGREPORTER NEWS

Monthly drug policy news from around the world

Drugreporter café

In our new online video show, we regularly discuss new developments in the world of drug policy with professionals, activists and decision makers. You can also listen to the Drugreporter Café in Podcast format on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

COVID-19 Harm Reduction Update

On this info page Drugreporter provides regular updates about resources and news on how harm reduction service providers respond to the COVID-19 Epidemic.

Drugreporter Video Advocacy Network

Browse videos produced by members of our Drugreporter Video Advocacy Network, from all around the world!

DRUG USERS NEWS

Russian language videos on drug policy, harm reduction and human rights.

Our award winning animated documentary movie is based on the original audio recording of Kostya Proletarsky, a drug user and HIV activist who died as a result of mistreatment and torture at a Russian prison. Festival appearances, news and resources are available here!

Footer

Rights Reporter Foundation
Hungary, 1032 Budapest
San Marco Street 70.
Email: rightsreporter@rightsreporter.net

Search

Our other websites:

The Rights Reporter Foundation

The Autocracy Analyst

Room for Change Campaign

Room in the 8th District Campaign

A Day in the Life movie website

Drugreporter