In the US, young people and Black individuals continue to be the faces of the war on drugs, survey shows

According to Marijuana Moment, new data released by the FBI reveals that in states where cannabis remains criminalized, arrests for simple possession continue to be the main driver of this repression policy.

These are numbers that have faces - mainly young people, Black individuals, and vulnerable communities - and expose how the criminalization of a plant continues to perpetuate long-standing inequalities.

The power of numbers

The report shows that in 2024, states like Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, and Wisconsin reported that over half of all drug-related arrests involved marijuana. In many cases, over 97% of these detentions were for possession, not for trafficking or cultivation.

The weight of criminalization

Behind the statistics, there are interrupted stories. Still, according to Marijuana Moment, the consequences of a marijuana possession arrest go far beyond a police record: they limit access to housing, employment, education, and even to public assistance programs.

For immigrants, the risk is even greater, potentially resulting in deportation. Organizations like NORML warn that criminalization is "financially burdensome and socially devastating".

With information from Marijuana Moment.