Drug prohibition regime and harm reduction: a Brazil–Portugal comparison

Abstract

The following paper looks at the trajectory of drug prohibition regime on the international scenario and its consequences in Brazil and Portugal between 2000 and 2021. Using a qualitative and comparative approach, it seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of prohibitionist and harm reduction policies, focusing on their impact on public health. Throughout the text, documents that initiated the prohibitionist regime are analyzed, especially the UN conventions, as well as harm reductions approaches. The theoretical analysis is based on the liberal theory of International Relations, comparing models adopted by Brazil and Portugal, taking into account the structural differences in health systems. In conclusion, the advances and difficulties faced by Portugal in implementing public policies for harm reduction integrated with drug regulation are analyzed, while in the Brazilian scenario the processes that impede the implementation of such policies are analyzed. The results achieved by these countries show that the prohibitionist model has many shortcomings when it comes to curbing drug distribution and use, highlighting the difficulty institutions face in implementing policies consistently. Meanwhile, alternative approaches demonstrate greater alignment with the principles of cooperation and efficiency championed by liberal institutionalism.