Criminalization vs. Decriminalization: Debating How Law Should Treat Drug Use

Should using illegal drugs be a criminal offense? For decades, the dominant approach has been criminalization—treating drug use and possession as crimes subject to arrest, prosecution, and punishment. Decriminalization offers an alternative: removing criminal penalties for personal drug use while potentially maintaining them for trafficking. Understanding the debate between these approaches helps citizens engage with fundamental questions about how society should respond to substance use.