Brazil Country Profile

Drug policy

The National Drug Policy is based on the Assumptions: Prevention; Treatment, Recovery and Social Reintegration; Social and Health Harm Reduction; Supply Reduction and Studies, Research and Evaluation.
Brazil has a National Drug Policy, implemented in 2005, which prioritizes drug abuse prevention and treatment and rehabilitation of drug dependents, without prejudice to supply reduction efforts.
Brazil maintains bilateral narcotics control agreements with the United States and every country in South America, in addition to formal partnerships with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the Organization of American States’ Inter-American Drug Control Abuse Commission, and INTERPOL.

Brazil has a network of public health system facilities responsible for health needs within its territory which covers all levels of care, from primary health care centres to hospitals and mental health services. These facilities carry out drug use screening and have screening instruments in place for the early detection of drug use, offer guidance and brief interventions, and systematically refer persons affected by drug use for treatment.
Brazil takes a holistic approach to reintegrating drug addicts into society, providing a range of services from medical care to job training.
Passage of a 2006 couunternarcotics law that makes drug abuse a social and medical problem rather than a law enforcement problem. Instead of incarceration, offenders in possession of ‘personal use’ quantities of any drug are cited and offered rehabilitation and community service.
The public health system, non- governmental organizations (NGOs) and therapeutic communities offer outpatient and residential treatment services, rehabilitation, follow-up and recovery support for persons affected by drug use.
Brazil undertakes actions to facilitate access to treatment, rehabilitation, and social reinsertion for the different population groups affected by drug use.

Supply reduction: Operation Sentinela is an ongoing intelligence-building effort to coordinate state, local, and federal police forces on the border, supervised by the Ministry of Justice. Operation Ágata, coordinated by the Ministry of Defense, is now in its ninth iteration and conducts periodic tactical missions at strategic points on the border.
Brazil conducts cannabis eradication in the northeast.
Brazil passed a zero- tolerance law for drivers with any measurable content of alcohol or drugs in their blood.
National media campaigns run on television and billboards.
State and local police forces continue to teach the Brazilian version of DARE in public and private schools.
Brazil has universal, selective and indicated prevention programs addressing drug use and geared to different population groups.