Dr. Johnny Connolly:

The Deputy referred to sale of drugs, which is still a criminal offence. If somebody is caught in Portugal in possession of drugs deemed for personal use, the person is transferred from the criminal justice system into a dissuasion committee. The essence of the Portuguese system is that it would take such an individual out of the criminal justice process and into a process that is more related to the public health system. It also involves an infrastructure built around the concept of drug treatment and education. The supply of drugs is enforced equally strongly. The Deputy would have seen people selling drugs which is still illegal, although one would see it in nearly every European city.