Episode 5: The Portugal Paradox
Garth and Magda at IN-Mouraria in Lisbon.
In 2001, Portugal decriminalized the simple possession of drugs. Ever since it has become a beacon for progressives, activists, and drug users around the world. On episode 5 of Crackdown, Garth goes to Portugal to figure out whether the country has found a solution to North America’s overdose crisis.
Transcript
Garth interviews Rui Coimbra Morais on the way to an unsupervised injection facility in Barrio Cerco, near Porto.
An unsanctioned supervised consumption site near Porto, Portugal.
The methadone van in Lisbon.
Garth recording narration in an apartment in Lisbon.
Credits
Garth Mullins is Crackdown‘s host and executive producer.
Sam Fenn and Lisa Hale were this month’s lead producers.
Crackdown’s Editorial Board is: Samona Marsh, Shelda Kastor, Greg Fess, Jeff Louden, Dean Wilson, Laura Shaver, Dave Murray, and Al Fowler. Rest In Peace Chereece Keewatin.
Crackdown is produced by Garth Mullins, Sam Fenn, Alexander Kim, Lisa Hale and Gordon Katic.
Our scientific adviser is Ryan McNeil from the BC Centre on Substance Use.
Special thanks to journalist and translator Enrique Pinto-Coelho for his help telling this story. You can follow Enrique on twitter here and you can hire him here.
Thanks as well to the Portuguese Canadian journalist Susana Ferreira. Check out here longform piece about Portugal’s drug reforms in The Guardian here.
Thanks as well to Rui Coimbra, Diana Castro, Renato Pinto, Sara Tuppen Veloso, Joana Canedo, Sofia Pereira, Sonia Ferreira, João Santa Maria, and Maria João Brás for helping our team while we were in Portugal.
The music for this episode was written by Garth Mullins, Sam Fenn, and Jacob Dryden.
Funding for Crackdown comes from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
