FBI Report Over 200,000 People Were Arrested For Cannabis-Related Violations In 2023: How Is That Possible?

The FBI reported that 217,150 arrests for marijuana violations were made in 2023, slightly down from 2022 when the figure stood at 227,108, according to data published in the Bureau’s Crime Data Explorer.

Of those arrested in 2023, a staggering 84%—a bit over 200,000 people—were charged with possession alone, highlighting the ongoing focus on low-level cannabis offenses. It's important to note that the FBI's arrest data reflects the number of arrests, not the number of individuals arrested, as a person may be arrested multiple times in a year.

The 2023 figures are based on reports from local agencies covering 90 percent of the U.S. population, meaning the true number of marijuana arrests is likely higher.

While this represents a long-term decline from the peak of 870,000 marijuana-related arrests in 2007, deputy director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML),  Paul Armentano expressed concern.

"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,"
Armentano said.

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Marijuana Possession Dominates Arrest Rates

Despite state legalization efforts, marijuana-related prosecutions remain a major driver of the U.S. drug war.

Marijuana arrests are part of a larger trend of drug possession offenses, which ranked second for arrest offense rates in the United States in 2023. Police recorded 3,801,505 cases of drug possession, following only the category of “All Other Offenses.”

Drug possession was followed by arrests for simple assault (3,584,195 cases), driving under the influence (2,863,542 cases), and larceny (2,372,550 cases). Data follows a trend that’s been present in every other report in the past.

Aggravated assault was further down the list, underscoring how low-level drug offenses still dominate the U.S. criminal justice system.

Read Also: Legal Weed = Less Crime: FBI Data Shows Surprising Benefits Of Cannabis Legalization

2023 FBI Data Overview

The FBI 2023 Crime in the Nation statistics, details over 14 million criminal offenses reported by more than 16,000 law enforcement agencies.

This data seeks to represent 94.3% of the U.S. population. One main outcome is that in 2023, national violent crime decreased by 3.0%, with notable reductions in murder, rape, aggravated assault and robbery. The agency also tracked a slight 0.6% decline in hate crime incidents, signaling progress in multiple areas of law enforcement, even as marijuana arrests continue to contribute significantly to the numbers.

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Cover: FBI Media website