The problem is not so much whether it's the government's job to regulate it, but that it is primarily treated as a criminal issue, and thus is 'solved' through

The problem is not so much whether it's the government's job to regulate it, but that it is primarily treated as a criminal issue, and thus is 'solved' through police enforcement. In other countries people see it more as a health issue, this leads to completely different approaches and policies. What would happen if we treated e.g. education primarily as a criminal issue?