Exploring Criminalization and Decriminalization

This chapter deeply examines the impact of criminalization on young people, highlighting the importance of brain development in decision-making and risk-taking behaviors. It discusses the unfair consequences faced by youth in the criminal justice system for drug experimentation and advocates for decriminalization as a more effective approach. The conversation also touches on Portugal's successful decriminalization policy and the need for a shift towards viewing drug use as a health issue rather than a criminal activity.