Portuguese prison services ban dietary supplements

The Directorate-General for Reintegration and Prison Services (DGRSP) has prohibited the entry, possession, and circulation of dietary supplements within Portuguese prisons. The ban specifically targets supplements in powder, granular, or tablet form, including creatine, branched-chain amino acids, and milk proteins, whether brought by visitors, sent via mail, or through any other external channel.

Director-General Orlando Carvalho justified the decision by stating that these substances possess a morphology, color, and density that make them indistinguishable from major narcotics using standard inspection methods at prison gates. This difficulty in analysis increases the risk of substances being used to facilitate the adulteration of drugs through homogeneous mixing.

Furthermore, the DGRSP noted that these products are not essential goods or therapeutic substances. The agency expressed concerns that they could foster informal trade circuits within prisons, leading to risks of extortion, coercion, and conflict among inmates. The National Union of the Prison Guard Corps (SNCGP) supported the measure, noting that increased muscle mass among inmates can pose physical security risks to prison guards during confrontations.