The Justice Department has criticized the Memphis Police Department (MPD) for a pattern of civil rights violations, including racial disparities in marijuana-related arrests. Despite this, cannabis remains illegal under federal law. An investigation found that MPD arrests Black adults for marijuana possession at a rate 5.2 times higher than white adults, based on data from 2018 to 2023. The department also relies heavily on the odor of cannabis as a justification for searches and arrests, which has been deemed questionable.
The Justice Department’s report highlights the MPD’s “aggressive street enforcement” and targeted operations, such as Operation Spring Cleaning, which recovered 96.6% of the drugs seized, by weight, as marijuana. The report also notes that the department’s explanations for searches and arrests are often “cringey” and lack credibility.
The findings are part of a broader review of the MPD’s enforcement practices, which also revealed a pattern of excessive force against suspects and discrimination against Black people. The report’s focus on marijuana enforcement is notable, given the ongoing federal prohibition on cannabis.
Advocates are calling on lawmakers to end marijuana criminalization, citing the disproportionate harms it causes, particularly for communities of color. The Justice Department’s report is seen as a step in the right direction, but critics argue that the agency’s continued enforcement of federal prohibition and defense of bad cannabis policies may be hypocritical.
President Joe Biden has pledged to pardon individuals convicted of simple marijuana possession and has initiated a review that led to the proposal to reschedule marijuana. However, advocates are urging him to fulfill his promise to grant clemency to those still incarcerated over nonviolent marijuana offenses.
