Legalization creates spaces where it becomes inaccessible to some and could mean punishment to others.

Until we have a socialist paradise where you can just roll up to the weed store and have whatever you'll use, it's always going to be inaccessible to some. And I don't see how legalization would mean punishment for some but decriminalization wouldn't.

Legalization is also good because it makes it more feasible to regulate away adulterated drugs, or drugs with unknown strengths. Legalization gets you a fancy weed store where you can trust the product you're getting; decriminalization gets you a hot couch guy drug dealer selling you stuff of variable quality.

Decriminalization is bad because it does nothing to solve the problem of dirty and laced drugs being the only drugs available and sold at ridiculous prices. And it does nothing to solve the problem of drug related crimes. Legalization is what we need to do, because the existence of the black market is easily the number one source of illegal drug related deaths.

In every practical example I've seen in the US, decriminalization has meant making it legal to possess and carry, but keeping it illegal to produce and distribute.