Drug Offense Numbers and Trends in Portugal 2012

"In 2012 concerning the administrative sanctions for drug use⁴⁰, the 18 Commissions for the Dissuasion of Drug Addiction (CDT) based in every capital district of Continental Portugal instated 8,573 processes⁴¹, representing the highest value since 2001 and an increase of 24% in comparison to 2011, most of which were, again, referred by the Public Security Police (PSP), National Republican Guard (GNR) and Courts.

"From the 7,394 rulings made, 82% suspended the process temporarily, 15% were punitive rulings and 3% found the presumed offender innocent.

"The number of presumed offenders was very similar to last year registering these last four years the highest values since 2002. Continues the trend manifested through the decade of the predominance of presumed offenders in the possession of cannabis and the increased visibility of presumed offenders in the possession of cocaine (the values registered in the last four years for cannabis and cocaine were the highest since 2002). In the case of heroin, after the downward trend verified in the first half of the decade, followed by a stability and a peak in 2009, it’s verified again a decrease in the number of presumed offenders. Concerning the number of presumed offenders in the possession of several drugs, the value registered in 2012 is the lowest since 2001, contrasting the stability trend occurred since 2006 (with a punctual peak in 2010).

"In the context of judicial decisions under the Drug Law, in 2012, 1 616 crime processes were finalised involving 2,376 individuals, the vast majority were accused of traffick (88%). Near 86% were convicted and 14% were acquitted.

"Concerning the sanctions applied in these convictions, mostly related with trafficking crimes, such as occurred in 2004 and contrary to previous years, these convictions involved mainly suspended prison (48%) instead of effective prison (31%). To refer specially since 2009, the increase of convicted only sentenced with an effective fine, predominantly applied to convictions related with consumption. Similarly to previous years, the majority of these convictions were related to only one drug, maintaining the predominance of cannabis by the tenth consecutive year and a higher number of convictions by possession of cocaine in relation to heroin by the seventh consecutive year, consolidating the trend verified in previous years of the increase visibility of cocaine in these convictions."