Norwegian Parliament votes to decriminalize drug use

Drug use will no longer be punishable in Norway, but those caught violating the law will be referred to treatment programs.

A majority of the Storting, the Norwegian Parliament, voted in favor of this historic shift in Norway’s drug policy.

«The parliamentary majority will stop punishing people who are struggling, and instead provide them with assistance and treatment.» said Nicolas Wilkinson, the SV (Socialist) Party's spokesperson on health in Parliament.

«Drug crimes will not go unpunished. But the threshold for punishment is shifting. This could free up resources for the police, which could make life more difficult for traffickers.»

The Labor Party (Ap), the Conservative Party (Høyre), the Socialist Party (SV), and the Liberal Party (Venstre) supported the proposal.

Wilkinson added that this was a call for the government to change its approach to people with substance use disorders and to prioritize health services over the court system.

«It is important to note that we are not legalizing cannabis or any other drug, but we are decriminalizing it,» said Sveinung Stensland (Høyre), vice chair of the Parliament’s Health Committee.

«Change will take time, but it also means changing our perspective. People with drug problems should be treated as patients, not as criminals subject to traditional punishments such as fines and prison sentences.»

In February, that same committee will travel to in Portugal to examine how the country implemented a similar reform 15 years ago.