1. to remove criminal penalties or legal prohibitions from (an action or substance); to make something no longer illegal
Usage: British English spelling (American English: decriminalizes); third-person singular present tense

Examples

• The government decriminalises possession of small amounts of cannabis for personal use.
• Several countries have decriminalised homosexuality in recent decades.
• The new law decriminalises homelessness, focusing instead on social support.
• Portugal decriminalises drug possession and treats it as a public health issue.
• The proposal decriminalises certain forms of protest that were previously illegal.
• Many jurisdictions have decriminalised abortion under specific circumstances.