Decriminalizing is a term used to describe the process of relaxing or eliminating criminal penalties for certain types of behavior or substances. Synonyms for this term include legalizing, decriminalization, depenalization, and deregulation. Legalizing refers to the act of making something lawful or legal, while decriminalization refers to the act of reducing or removing criminal penalties. Depenalization refers to the process of reducing or eliminating penalties for certain types of behavior, while deregulation refers to the process of removing governmental regulations or controls from a particular industry or practice. All of these synonyms are commonly used in discussions about drug policy, but can apply to a range of other policy areas as well.