Some experts say the answer lies in legalizing and regulating all drugs, treating them much like pharmaceutical products that can be dispensed by licensed physicians or sold over the counter by reputable retailers. This approach, the argument goes, would significantly reduce the risk of users consuming contaminated (and thus more harmful) drugs and encourage them to seek medical care when necessary. Ultimately, the goal with this policy is to make drug use safer instead of reducing or eliminating it.

While this strategy probably has some merit, it also carries risks that shouldn’t be overlooked. For example, experts on both sides of the debate recognize that legalization will increase drug use. “There’s no question about it,” says Bertha Madras, a professor of psychobiology at Harvard Medical School. And that surge in use will very likely fuel an increase in drug abuse, which most people recognize as a serious threat to public health. A related cost comes in the form of increased public investment in health care related to drug use—an expense covered by all taxpayers, not just individuals who decide to use.

To help us make sense of these competing claims, emergency medicine physician Liza Lockwood fields some of the most common questions about drug use and regulation, breaking down the risks and benefits of legalization in detail.

Join Dr. Liza Dunn and Cam English on this episode of Facts and Fallacies as they discuss the science and ethics of drug legalization

Dr. Liza Lockwood is a medical toxicologist and the medical affairs lead at Bayer Crop Science. Follow her on X @DrLizaMD

Cameron J. English is the director of bio-sciences at the American Council on Science and Health. Follow him on X @camjenglish