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More Than 200,000 People Were Arrested For Marijuana In The U.S. Last Year, FBI Data Shows

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2 months ago

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Nearly 188,000 people were arrested in the US last year for possession of marijuana, according to the FBI’s latest annual crime report, and another 16,000 for selling or growing cannabis. However, these figures are underestimated given the inconsistencies in federal data and questions about the agency’s methodology.

The entire 2024 data set is based on more than 14 million crimes reported to the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, which is used to document and analyze national crime trends. The report covers 95.6 percent of the U.S. population, the FBI said.

This latest data shows that cannabis-related crimes decreased slightly compared to 2023, from 200,306 possession arrests to 187,792 in 2024 and from 16,844 sales or manufacturing arrests to 16,244.

Advocates see the reduction as a reflection of the success of the legalization movement spreading at the state level, but also point out that marijuana is still the most commonly arrested illegal substance in Americans’ “war on drugs.”

“While the total number of marijuana-related arrests has dropped nationwide in recent years, it’s clear that marijuana-related charges are still a major driver of drug war enforcement in the United States,” NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano told Marijuana Moment.

In the new report, 27 percent of all drug possession arrests were for marijuana, more than for any other substance specifically listed.

Because not all agencies provide complete data for reporting periods, the FBI explained that the bureau calculates estimated crime numbers by essentially extrapolating “using the data provided following a standard estimation procedure.” In terms of total arrests reported for the category called “drug/narcotics,” for example, the FBI said there were 831,446 arrests.

At the same time, frustrations over the inconsistency of the FBI the data Reports of cannabis and other drug arrest trends have been maintained. Different sections of the report report different numbers for seemingly similar categories of crime.

An FBI chart says there were 1,413,223 “drug/narcotics crimes” in 2024. Another uses the figure of 1,577,175 in the same heading. A third total is 1,870,804.

Another section says there were 822,488 arrests for drug abuse violations in 2024, about 12 percent of the estimated 7.5 million arrests nationwide.

The FBI data also shows trends over time, indicating that 1,055,013 drug-related charges were filed in 2015 and 600,400 drug-related charges were filed in 2024, a decrease of about 43 percent, although it is unclear how much of the change is due to changes in the agency’s arrest practices and methods. State drug laws over the past decade.

In terms of controlled substance seizures in 2024, the agency said 386,540 cases of marijuana were seized out of a total of 1,072,704 drug seizures, about 36 percent of enforcement actions.

Lawmakers, researchers, and the media rely on FBI arrest data to understand and contextualize law enforcement trends. Not only do inconsistencies affect the public’s understanding of crime and law enforcement, but also how policies are developed and implemented.

The bureau was tipped off to the FBI’s alleged marijuana bug in May 2022, when Eric Sterling, a longtime drug reformer and former congressional staffer, said he discovered the presence of a Maryland police department. reporting cannabis possession citations issued under the state’s decriminalization law at the time as arrests As part of a data sharing partnership with the FBI.

Because other state and local law enforcement agencies don’t seem to report cannabis citations as arrests, Sterling reasoned, the inconsistent practice can significantly skew the FBI’s annual reports, making it harder to draw reasonable policy conclusions from the data.

In 2023—14 months after Sterling sent the query—the office finally responded. However, instead of addressing the apparent issue, the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General’s Investigations Division said it had determined that “the issues you raised are more appropriate for consideration by another DOJ office.” He referred the inquiry to the FBI’s investigative division.

The FBI’s report on cannabis enforcement is also at risk because local and state police are not required to share data to inform the agency’s annual report, which is It provides a comprehensive view of law enforcement activities. The agency itself says that some data may not be comparable to previous years, due to varying levels of participation over time.

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It’s Marijuana Moment tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelic and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters by pledging at least $25 a month, you’ll get access to our interactive maps, charts, and audio calendars so you never miss a development.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracking and become a Patreon supporter to gain access
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Meanwhile, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said in a recent filing The process of reorganizing marijuana is at a standstill in the phase it has been in for monthsdespite the agency head’s prior commitment to senators that he would prioritize the issue if confirmed for the role.

President Donald Trump said in August that he planned to make a decision on his proposal to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) within weeks.

The overhaul would not legalize marijuana, however, so it remains to be seen how the reform might affect arrest rates reported in future FBI annual reports.

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US (FL): Cannabis company countersues competitor for AI-fabricated extortion

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20 hours ago

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December 9, 2025

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Leafwell Inc. filed a federal lawsuit against medical marijuana company My Florida Green, alleging that its competitor used artificial intelligence to make legal claims as part of an extortion scheme designed to harm Leafwell’s business. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court…

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Maine Officials Approve 2026 Ballot Initiative To Largely Repeal Marijuana Legalization Law For Signature Collection

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20 hours ago

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December 9, 2025

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Maine officials have given permission to prohibition activists to begin gathering signatures for a proposal A ballot initiative that would roll back the state’s voter-approved marijuana legalization law. The measure, if passed, would also overhaul the regulatory structure of the medical cannabis program by establishing product testing requirements.

The proposal — called the “Cannabis Legalization Act and Maine Medical Use of Cannabis Act” — is a revamped version of a marijuana initiative introduced in September, sponsored by a Republican state senator and a former top staffer for then-Gov. Paul LePage (R), staunch prohibitionist.

The latest proposal, a petition approved by the Secretary of State on Monday, would remove and amend multiple sections of the current state statute, which voters approved in 2016 to effectively repeal the legalization of recreational marijuana sales.

Adults over the age of 21 would remain legal to possess 2.5 ounces of cannabis under the proposal, but a section of the law allowing home cultivation would be repealed. The sale and home cultivation of medical marijuana would be legal.

Madison Carey, who was listed as a lead petitioner in the original version of the repeal initiative and remains involved in the current campaign, told Marihuana Momenti on Tuesday that “there needs to be regulation of marijuana,” arguing that her own experience recovering from opioid misuse disorder speaks to the inadequacy of the current law.

“My hope is to raise awareness of the reality of the potential dangers of not having regulation,” he said. “I think people are fed up with the constant use — the constant (retail businesses) coming up where people can legally buy marijuana.”

Of course, repealing the voter-approved law that established the adult-licensed sales system would eliminate the current regulatory infrastructure in place, which reform advocates say helps mitigate public health and safety risks associated with the illegal market.

Rep. David Boyer (R), who led the fight to get a cannabis legalization initiative on Maine’s ballot in 2016 when he was a staff member at the Marihuana Policy Project, said voters should refuse to sign petitions for the new initiative.

“Don’t stop Maine’s progress, don’t stop signing this unfair repeal initiative,” he told Marijuana Moment on Tuesday. “Repealing the legalization of cannabis would shut down an industry larger than lobsters, potatoes and blueberries combined, costing our state jobs, revenue and economic growth.”

According to the new measure, the director of the Office of Cannabis Policy will “advance policies that promote the health and welfare of the people of the state and protect their health and safety, emphasizing the health and welfare of minors as a priority consideration in the performance of all duties.”

They should also “ensure that eligible patients maintain access to high-quality, effective, and affordable medical cannabis under this Act.”

Under the proposal, the Department of Administrative and Financial Services would create a testing program for cannabis products that would require dispensaries and dispensaries to send those products to a licensed facility for safety evaluation before dispensing them to qualified patients.

The testing facility “should ensure that cannabis or cannabis products do not exceed acceptable levels of contamination for any contaminants that are harmful to health and require testing and ensure proper labeling.”

“The department shall adopt rules establishing a testing program under this section, rules identifying the types of pollutants harmful to health, which must be tested for cannabis and cannabis products under this chapter, and rules regarding the maximum level of contamination for each pollutant,” the vote said. the initiative the text says

Additionally, regulators should administer a system to track cannabis plants from seed to the point of retail sale or disposal. That system “should be able to track cannabis plants in groups during the cultivation phase and when passing from the cultivation phase to another registrar”.

Entrepreneurs must submit at least 67,682 valid voter signatures by February 2, 2026 to be eligible for next year’s ballot. If approved by voters, the initiative would take effect on January 1, 2028.

—
It’s Marijuana Moment tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelic and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters by pledging at least $25/month, you’ll get access to our interactive maps, charts, and audio calendars so you never miss a development.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracking and become a Patreon supporter to gain access
—

Maine lawmakers passed a bill in June legalize possession of an ounce of psilocybin Adults over 21 years of age.

After a different effort in the state last year legalize psilocybin and allow adults to access the psychedelic in state-licensed facilities. But lawmakers watered down that bill—instead, they changed it to create a committee to study further reforms—and in the end it was not approved.

Meanwhile, Maine legislators in February A top marijuana official voted to investigate possible conflicts of interest.

And last year, the law that allowed people came into force now apply for legal marijuana crime records to be sealed.

Marijuana Moment is made possible with the help of readers. If you rely on our pro-cannabis journalism to stay informed, consider a monthly Patreon pledge.

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By concentrating our portfolio, we create room for innovation and growth

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2 days ago

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December 8, 2025

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Viscon transfers the range fork product portfolio to Flier






Viscon Plant Technology will transfer its spacer fork product portfolio (including spacer forks and fixed forks) to Flier Systems effective January 1, 2026.

“The furrows are a proven solution for spacing within the sector. By transferring this portfolio to Flier Systems, the technology will remain available to both existing and new customers, with continued quality and support. Flier Systems will take over development, sales and technical service, while Viscon Plant Technology focuses on its core activities,” the team says.

© Viscon

“The transfer of the fields is a deliberate strategic step to strengthen our focus on automation solutions for plant growers and young breeders. In addition to concentrating our portfolio on technologies such as tissue culture automation, phenotypic sorting and somatic embryogenesis automation, we create room for further innovation and growth. We are pleased to have found a reliable and dedicated partner in Flier Systems,” said Nigela, who will continue the same product portfolio. Viscon Plant Technology.

“Acquiring spacer forks fits perfectly into our strategy to automate the entire production process for professional plant growers. Having just introduced the upgraded SPH transplanter/sorter, we have already taken an important step in the automation of potted plants. Acquiring spacer forks is a logical addition as it allows us to offer a complete and integrated package. Viscon,” said Ad Kranendonk, Flier Systems.



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