According to reports, Norway recently voted to decriminalize their policy on drugs. The Scandinavian country’s focus to push for treatment instead of punishing users.

Because of the vote, Norway will become the first Scandinavian country to go the decriminalization route. The Norwegian Parliament, also known as the Storting, supported the national government’s shift in policy. The deputy chairman of the Storting Health Committee—Sveinung Stensland, issued a statement on the decriminalization, saying “It is important to emphasize that we do not legalize cannabis and other drugs, but we decriminalize.”

Stensland went on to say “The change will take some time, but that means a changed vision: those who have a substance abuse problem should be treated as ill, and not as criminals with classical sanctions such as fines and imprisonment.”

According to The Independent, the Norwegian Health committee is looking to take a trip to Portugal in February 2018 to examine the country after they made the jump to decriminalize personal possessions of drugs in 2001.

Source: twitter.com