A new regulation mandating the sealing of public security administrative penalty records, including those related to drug use, has sparked an intense debate on social media, with many people worrying that it may condone illegal activities and undermine social security.

一项要求封存治安管理行政处罚记录（包括涉毒记录）的新规在社交媒体上引发激烈讨论，许多人担心，这可能纵容违法行为并损害社会安全。

Addressing such fears, legal experts said the records will be sealed, not deleted or expunged, which in no way will condone or cover up illegal activities. Strict access restrictions already exist for sensitive industries involving minors and public safety, they added.
法律专家对此回应称，这些记录将被“封存”，而非删除或抹除，这绝不会纵容或掩盖违法行为。他们补充说，涉及未成年人和公共安全的敏感行业本就有严格的准入限制。

The new rule, which is part of the revised Law on Penalties for Administration of Public Security, will take effect on Jan 1, 2026.
这项新规属于新版《治安管理处罚法》的一部分，将于2026年1月1日起实施。

It garnered a lot of attention after a comment posted about a promotion video of the revised law by Nantong Culture and Tourism's official Douyin account went viral. The comment — "Which young master got caught using drugs?" — triggered public anxiety, with many users on social media expressing the concern that offenders may exploit the policy to "whitewash" their records.
在南通文旅官方抖音账号发布的新版法律宣传视频下，一条评论迅速走红，引发了大量关注。评论写道：“是哪家少爷吸毒被抓了？”这勾起了公众焦虑，许多网友担心违法者可能利用政策来“漂白”记录。

Public concern mainly focuses on four key points: whether the rule creates a backdoor to erase past offenses, weakens deterrence against drug-related crimes, endangers community safety through information blind spots, or prioritizes leniency over justice.
公众的担忧主要集中在四点：新规是否会成为抹除违法记录的“后门”、是否会削弱对涉毒违法行为的威慑力、是否会因信息盲区危及社区安全、以及是否会让宽容压倒正义。

Ji Ying, an associate professor of law at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, attributed the controversy to public misunderstanding that drug-related administrative records will be expunged, allowing unrestricted access to career opportunities.
对外经济贸易大学法学院副教授冀莹表示，争议源于公众误解，以为涉毒行政记录将被完全删除，使涉毒人员可以毫无限制地获得职业机会。

"This misunderstanding sparked worries about public safety and social fairness, and frustration regarding overlooked anti-drug enforcement efforts," Ji said.
她说：“这种误解引发了公众对社会安全和公平正义的担忧，也造成了对禁毒执法努力被忽视的挫败感。”

Noting the unique status of drug use among administrative violations, she said: "Members of the public maintain zero tolerance toward drug-related behaviors. They believe that a one-size-fits-all sealing policy will not only violate justice and fairness, but also endanger social security. Their concern reflects society's correct understanding of drug hazards and its firm pursuit of justice."
她指出，吸毒在行政违法中具有特殊性：“公众对涉毒行为零容忍，他们认为一刀切的封存政策可能损害公平正义，也可能危及社会安全。他们的担忧反映了社会对毒品危害的正确认识及对正义的坚守。”

Ji emphasized that China's legal system distinguishes "administrative violations" from "criminal offenses".
冀莹强调，中国法律体系严格区分“行政违法”和“刑事犯罪”。

Drug use is classified as an administrative offense, with a maximum penalty of 15 days' detention under the Public Security Administration Punishments Law, while trafficking, manufacturing and illegal possession of drugs are crimes.
吸毒被归类为行政违法，根据《治安管理处罚法》最高可处罚拘留15日，而贩毒、制毒、非法持有毒品则属于刑事犯罪。

China's current Anti-Drug Law stipulates that drug users shall be subject to public security administration penalties, and no penalty shall be imposed on drug users who voluntarily register with public security organs or receive drug rehabilitation treatment at qualified medical institutions.
现行《禁毒法》规定，吸毒人员依法接受治安管理处罚；主动向公安机关登记或在合格机构接受戒毒治疗的，不予处罚。

Addressing fears of information asymmetry, such as neighbors or employers being unaware of past drug users, Ji said that stringent supporting supervision measures remain in place, and the record-sealing system features differentiated and refined management.
针对公众担心邻居、雇主等可能因信息不对称而不知情的问题，冀莹表示，严格的配套监管仍在实施，封存制度本身也具有分级、精细化管理特点。

Law enforcement agencies maintain official records of violations, which relevant authorities may access when necessary, and entry restrictions for specific occupations remain in place for special offenses such as drug use, she said.
她指出，执法机关会保留违法记录，相关部门在必要时可以调取，同时对涉毒等特殊违法行为，各类特定职业仍设有准入限制。

China's multiple laws and regulations require a clean record in terms of drug use for key positions such as ride-hailing drivers, teachers and security guards.
我国多部法律法规要求网约车司机、教师、保安等关键岗位必须无吸毒记录。

"The sealing of records does not mean that the records don't exist anymore. ... China's legal system has been striving to strike a balance between safeguarding public safety and realizing humanized and lenient law enforcement," Ji said.
冀莹表示：“封存记录并不意味着记录不存在了……中国法律体系一直在努力在保障公共安全与实现人性化、宽缓执法之间寻找平衡。”

Furthermore, the country's antidrug framework combines strict enforcement with rehabilitation.
此外，中国的禁毒体系兼具严格执法与戒治帮扶。

An online dynamic control system, which was established in 2006, monitors drug users and offenders by accessing a database of their identity records. This system mandates regular follow-ups and random testing for individuals post-detoxification.
自2006年建立的在线动态管控系统，通过身份信息数据库监测吸毒人员，对戒毒后的人员进行定期回访和随机检测。

Relevant authorities also monitor narcotic and psychotropic drug circulation, forming closed-loop management through community and rehabilitation feedback.
相关部门还会监测麻精药品流通情况，通过社区与康复反馈形成闭环管理。

Yin Bo, a law professor at China University of Political Science and Law, said the new rule responds to real challenges, as data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows that China registered about 8 million public security cases on average annually from 2019 to 2023, many of these involving minor offenses including drug use, fighting and gambling.
中国政法大学法学院教授印波表示，这项新规回应了现实挑战。国家统计局数据显示，2019—2023年期间，我国每年平均登记约800万起治安案件，其中许多属于轻微违法行为，如吸毒、斗殴和赌博。

"Many individuals with a single minor public security violation record face outright disqualification at key stages of their lives, such as job applications. This is not only unfair to them, but also creates a large marginalized group in society," Yin said.
他说：“许多只有一次轻微治安违法记录的人，却在求职等关键人生节点被直接淘汰。这对他们不公平，也会造成社会上庞大的边缘群体。”

He noted that the new rule doesn't endorse special-group protection, but a second-chance policy. The sealed records are invisible in most routine background checks, allowing such individuals to compete fairly and transform themselves from ‘potential risks’ to active social contributors, Yin added.
他指出，新规不是对特殊群体的保护，而是一项“第二次机会政策”。封存后的记录在常规背景审查中不可见，这使他们能公平竞争，从“潜在风险”转变为积极的社会贡献者。

Ji, from the UIBE, said that drug use is noncriminal because legislators view addicts as "patients" i