To: FJB who wrote (651422 ) 4/14/2012 8:58:16 AM From: Brumar89 1 Recommendation Read Replies (1) | Respond to Do you want home growing and recreational use of marijuana to continue to be banned by law as it is in Portugal?.... summons . The drugs are confiscated, and the suspect is interviewed by a “Commission for the Dissuasion of Drug Addiction” (Comissões para a Dissuasão da Toxicodependência – CDT). These commissions are made up of three people: A social worker, a psychiatrist, and an attorney. [9] [10] The dissuasion commission have powers comparable to an arbitration committee, but restricted to cases involving drug use or possession of small amounts of drugs. There is one CDT in each of Portugal’s 18 districts. Several options are available to the CDT when ruling on the drug use offence, including warnings, banning from certain places, banning from meeting certain people, obligation of periodic visits to a defined place, removal of professional licence or firearms licence. Sanctioning by fine, which may vary by drug involved, is an available option. If the person is addicted to drugs, he or she may be admitted to a drug rehabilitation facility or be given community service, if the dissuasion committee finds that this better serves the purpose of keeping the offender out of trouble. If the offender is not addicted to drugs, or unwilling to submit to treatment or community service, he may be given a fine. In Portugal, recreational use of cannabis is forbidden by law ; also the medicinal use is not yet officially recognized (there are a debate and some law projects in the Portuguese Parliament ). The cultivation of cannabis , even if in very small-scale home grow for personal use only, can legally be prosecuted. However, an unknown number of enthusiasts of small-scale home growing, grow the plants with a high degree of secrecy due to the legal punishment they could face if persecuted. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_policy_of_Portugal
