Feasibility Study of Implementing Legalization of Illegal Drugs in the Iranian Criminal Justice System with Comparative Approach

Drug legalization has often been marginalized under the influences of Criminalization approach, but in recent years, it has become the main policy of in Canada, Uruguay and some states of US in relation to cannabis. In Iranian criminal justice system, although the criminalization approach has always been emphasized, but the evaluation studies indicate the ineffectiveness of these policies. With regards to these circumstances, it is necessary to ask the question whether it is possible to formulate a legalization policy on cannabis in the Iranian criminal justice system or not? So, we collected, coded and analyzed data using qualitative content analysis method and comparative study of cannabis legalization policy in the United States. The findings of the study indicate a focus on medicalization in controlling drugs, which leads to ignoring its negative consequences including cultural dimension of drugs. Whereas the consumption pattern and decriminalization approach should be considered as important variables in legalization policy for cannabis.