A Drug Arrest Every 18 Seconds

categories: legalize marijuana, War on Drugs

Published September 14, 2009 @ 10:35AM PT

The FBI today released its annual review of crime stats across the United States - and there are some interesting numbers on the drug war. Marijuana arrests dipped slightly, but the new stats make painfully clear that our drug war rages on.

Marijuana arrests dropped year-over-year in 2008 for the first time since 2002, but the enormous amounts of law enforcement time, money and energy spent on marijuana busts still baffles. Police across the country made 847, 863 marijuana-related arrests in 2008, and 89 percent of them were for possession or use. There were more arrests for marijuana possession than all violent crimes combined. Marijuana Policy Project Executive Director Rob Kampia said the small drop in arrests isn't too much to get excited about:

"This slight dip in the number of marijuana arrests provides a small amount of relief to the tens of millions of American marijuana consumers who have been under attack by their own government for decades," Kampia said. "It's time to stop wasting billions of tax dollars criminalizing responsible Americans for using a substance that's safer than alcohol, and to put an end to policies that simply hand this massive consumer market to unregulated criminals."

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition viewed today's stats as more evidence of a drug war out of control. The group pointed out that there's one drug arrest in the U.S. every 18 seconds. Each of those arrests negatively impact an individual's life, and they clog our courts, jails and prisons when there are clearly bigger fish to fry.

The FBI's annual Uniform Crime Report is full of interesting data on crime in our country - I'll have more from the report tomorrow. Take a look for yourself here.

Photo by EMS_EMT

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Comments (10)

With 26 MILLION Americans CHOOSING to use cannabis in the last year, and only 3 million prison beds (which happen to already be occupied), how does the government envision a WIN in this 'War on Drugs?' We don't have the space or the money to house and punish all of these 'criminals.'

Furthermore, alcohol KILLS 75,000 Americans a year, and addict 15% of those who use.

Cigarettes KILL 450,000 Americans a year, and addict 30% of those who use.

Cannabis kills ZERO Americans a year, and can cause DEPENDENCE in 10% of those who use!

So cannabis is NON-LETHAL, is LESS ADDICTIVE, but it's the one they make illegal?! If cannabis was so deadly, so harmful and so out-of-control, wouldn't you expect to SEE more effects with 26 millions Americans partaking? I sure would!

In fact, studies have shown it's easier for KIDS to get cannabis than alcohol, which mirrored my own experience in the 80's. Alcohol is regulated, checked and under very tight control, your kid can't get it without showing ID. Want to guess how many cartels demand ID before they sell your kid pot?

Alcohol's Prohibition failed miserable in the early 20th century, just as our 'War on Drugs' has failed for the last FORTY YEARS! It's time to stop the vilification, demonization and incarceration for cannabis aficionados! LEGALIZE it, REGULATE it, TAX it!!

Stop making your fellow Americans into criminals for wanting to relax with a different substance than alcohol or cigarettes, those things KILL you know!

Posted by Clayton Cleverly on 09/14/2009 @ 12:05PM PT
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We are also trying to get medicinal marijuana on the Florida ballot for 2010. If any Florida Change.org members wish to join the cause, the organization is People United for Medical Marijuana - Florida and their site is http://www.pufmm.org/. Please be sure to sign up if you are a registered Florida voter. We need all the help that we can get due to our demographics. Sincerely, Kevin Silvey

Posted by Kevin Silvey on 11/20/2009 @ 07:35AM PT
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This is an outrageous injustice and waste of extreme amounts of money. Prisons should be for real criminals. All perps of victimless crimes should be freed immediately.

The absolutely absurd marijuana laws need substantial change. This is so long overdue. Neglecting this needed change is indefensible. Rev. Bookburn - Radio Volta

Posted by Rev Bookburn on 09/14/2009 @ 05:38PM PT
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I would like to read people's opinions about cannabis-hemp being "kept in the closet" (e.g. nothing on the front page, relegated to a subsection of 'Criminal Justice', few stories overall, etc.) at Change.org in spite of the overwhelming fact (e.g. numerous votes, petitions, supporter levels, comments to stories, etc.) that 'Cannabis-Hemp' is the most supported cause of all?

What are your thoughts on this matter? Agreement or disagreement? Pro or Con?

Posted by Matthew Bristow on 11/19/2009 @ 08:39PM PT
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Our caue the number one cause over and over has been buried by change.org. This site has changed it no longer allows free speech.

CFJ

Posted by Cherokee Fred Jesus on 09/22/2009 @ 09:54AM PT
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The politics behind the criminalization of cannabis decades ago are interesting being based on racial prejudice against Mexicans and the need to keep them from coming into the U.S. to work in agriculture during the Great Depression when there was an overabundance of white American farm workers due to the Dust Bowl. The U.S. government made the penalties for simple possession so draconian to ensure the message got through to Mexican farm laborers to stay home -- that's why marijuana is catagorized with cocaine and heroin. By criminalizing the cannabis plant, the government has empowered the criminal element financially and burdened society with an exploding prison population without making society any more safe or secure.

The politics of the prohibition of alcohol are also interesting being based in corporate greed and monopolizing fuel markets(John D. Rockefeller) rather than in actual health concerns. By outlawing private distilleries making strong spirits, brewing automobile alcohol fuel was criminalized so the oil industry could corner the market and make everyone dependent on gasoline to power their cars. Prohibition was repealled because it didn't stop people from consuming booze and because it gave life to organized crime.

The War on Drugs is a lie which can easily be proven by the fact that the government doesn't try to eradicate coca bushes in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, or Colombia (cocaine) or opium poppies in Afghanistan (heroin) despite the fact that satellites photos pinpoint the exact locations where these plants are being raised and can be destroyed by cruise missiles launched hundreds of miles away. (The government traffics in illegal drugs to finance covert operations.). We need to decriminalize marijuana and tax it because its criminalization has been a costly disaster for American society.

Posted by Jeffrey Hill on 09/24/2009 @ 11:04AM PT
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26 million. Wow. This is such a dis-heartening situation to see good law abiding citizens receiving extremely harsh sentences for the possession and cultivation of the marijuana plant. Cannabis has multiple medical applications yet our Scheduling system has marijuana as one of the most dangerous drugs having no medical value. We have been duped and lied to for generations and now it is time for all Americans (legalization advocate or not) to vote for these bills and end this highly expensive war on a plant. We can't lose with this one. Marijuana and hemp have so many different uses making it a substance that could stimulate many new jobs. It can be taxed and regulated like alcohol which would bring more revenue into our current economic crisis. It would also stop the major waste of money being used to combat marijuana use and keep non-violent offenders behind bars. This is bigger than any individual or personal belief. Please urge your friends, state representatives, congress, and our President that we must push for the legalization efforts because to many people are being hurt and lives being ruined by turning a blind eye to this most important issue.

Posted by Raished Yahia on 09/25/2009 @ 02:24AM PT
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Join us at Kevin Booth's new site a focal point for our efforts and see the trailer for his latest film "How Weed Won the West"

www.protectmaineequality.org

Get a discount using the code hood1

CFH

Posted by Cherokee Fred Jesus on 09/26/2009 @ 11:22AM PT
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oops make that

http://drugwarcoalition.ning.com/

Posted by Cherokee Fred Jesus on 09/26/2009 @ 11:24AM PT
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A new approach to drug use and addiction appears appropriate based on the circumstances, chiefly that so many people want to do drugs.

The issue of our courts and prison system is related but significantly more expansive. Our Criminal Justice System has replaced justice with procedure (closest substitute for "justice" is "truth"). What people have actually done is not important, only what can not be suppressed, or negotiated away.

Our federal courts are inundated with civil rights cases filed by prisoners who have living conditions better than most military men and women.

Something is wrong with the system, but we aren't going to solve it here.

Posted by Michael H on 09/27/2009 @ 04:07AM PT
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Matt has worked and volunteered in various capacities in criminal justice reform for several years. When he's not blogging, he works as the Online Communications Manager at the Innocence Project. Views expressed here are Matt's, and don't represent the positions of the Innocence Project.