{
  "id": 1805302,
  "title": "Drug policies should communicate drug safety over user punishment",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/drug-policies-should-communicate-drug-safety-over-user-punishment",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-18T21:40:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-08-drug-policies-communicate-safety-user.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A new study highlights that people's beliefs about the harmfulness of illegal drugs are stronger predictors of their support for both punishment and court-mandated treatment for drug users than their views on who should bear blame for the drug use. Led by Benjamin T. Kuettel, an assistant professor at SUNY Oneonta, and co-authored by Jason R. Silver from Rutgers School of Criminal Justice, the research was recently published in Criminal Justice and Behavior. In a 2024 survey involving nearly 850 U.S. adults, the researchers explored how the public links drug use characteristics to sentencing and treatment decisions.\n\nThe study found that concerns over the harms caused by drug use, whether to the user, their family, friends or community, best explained why individuals favored different sentences for different types of drugs. While harm to the user predicted support for both punishment and treatment, beliefs that the user's circle of loved ones were harmed were linked to greater support for treatment options. The researchers noted that the blame attributed to the user or others was less influential in shaping preferences for punishment or treatment.\n\nThe authors suggest that policymakers aiming to understand public support for drug-related policies should acknowledge that the public prioritizes reducing harm over morally blaming drug users. They advocate for a messaging strategy focused on safety rather than punishment. The study's findings suggest that a broader shift may be occurring in public opinion, moving away from a criminal understanding of drug use toward a more medical perspective. This shift in perception could have significant implications for the development and implementation of enlightened drug policies.",
  "summary": "A new study found that people's beliefs about the harmfulness of an illegal substance are stronger predictors of support for both punishment and court-mandated treatment than beliefs about who is to blame.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}