At 10, Portugal's Drug Law Draws New Scrutiny PORTO, Portugal-This country's move to decriminalize illicit substances-Europe's most liberal drug legislation-turns 10 years old this month amid new scrutiny and plaudits. Portugal's decriminalization regime has caught the eye of regulators in Europe and beyond since it was implemented in 2001. Proponents credit the program for stanching one of Europe's worst drug epidemics. Critics associate it with higher crime and murder rates. Approaching a decade in force, it is providing a real-world model of one way to address an issue that is a social and economic drag on countries world-wide. Norway's government formed a committee to look at better strategies ..