Are we there yet? Five years of NPS regulation in Portugal
Abstract
Similarly to the observed throughout Europe, the turn of the century brought to Portugal the emergence of the NPS phenomenon. Its rapid evolution and the associated danger to public health has led to the urgent need for a legal control of these substances.
In March 2013, a new law dedicated to NPS was adopted with the aim of preventing and protecting against the free advertising and trading of these substances. The Portuguese strategy was to create a law based on a list of substances not covered by the current drug law, as well as all their “derivatives, isomers and salts”. The possibility of updating this list much faster than that of the drug legislation should allow the enough haste to keep up with the rhythm of new substance appearance, allowing the control of NSP circulation and consumption.
Five years after these control measures been taken it is already possible to analyze the effects of this legislation, reflecting its effectiveness based on the practical aspects of its application and the changes suffered in the NSP market in Portugal. The law was of unquestionable effectiveness regarding the closing of open door smart shops but how does it respond when the NPS transited for the ilicit market? Whis work presents the forensic view of NPS legislation.