Over 200,000 people were arrested for marijuana-related offenses in the United States last year, with the majority of those arrests being for simple possession, according to a new report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The report highlights the ongoing issue of marijuana criminalization, despite growing public support for legalization.
The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program collects data from over 16,000 state, local, and tribal agencies, which comprise more than 94% of the country’s population. The data shows that 200,306 estimated arrests occurred for marijuana possession, while 16,844 estimated arrests were for cannabis sales or manufacturing.
The numbers are down from 2022, but advocates say the continued criminalization of marijuana is unacceptable, especially given the growing public consensus in favor of legalization. The report also highlights the racial disparities in drug arrests, with Black people making up about 29% of drug arrests, despite comprising only 13.6% of the population.
The FBI’s data is widely relied upon by lawmakers, researchers, and the media to understand and contextualize law enforcement trends. However, the agency’s reporting on marijuana and other drug arrest trends has been criticized for inconsistencies and methodological issues.
Advocates are calling for urgent action to change course and address the ongoing issue of marijuana criminalization. “While there has clearly been a long-term decline in the total number of marijuana-related arrests nationwide, it is discouraging that there still remains significant gaps in the available information,” said Paul Armentano, deputy director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). “At a time when voters and their elected officials nationwide are re-evaluating state and federal marijuana policies, it is inconceivable that government agencies are unable to produce more explicit data on the estimated costs and scope of marijuana prohibition in America.”
The report’s findings are consistent with recent trends, with cannabis arrests declining in recent years as more states have moved to enact legalization. Seizures of cannabis at the southern border also declined again in 2023, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Despite the inconsistencies in the FBI’s reporting, the data highlights the ongoing issue of marijuana criminalization and the need for reform. As the public and lawmakers continue to debate the issue, the FBI’s data provides a critical perspective on the scope and impact of marijuana prohibition in the United States.
