Marijuana Decriminalization Summary

Problem Description The Simple Possession of Small Quantities Of Marijuana Decriminalization Amendment Act of 2013’s enactment suggests that enough is enough. Per Townes (2015), “between 2001 and 2010, arrests for marijuana possession increased by 61.5 percent. The number of marijuana arrests in D.C. in 2010, 5,393, surpassed those in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Miami-Dade counties in 2010. And in 87 percent of cases involving marijuana arrests, charges for separate crimes were not made.” Marijuana is considered the third most frequently used recreational drug in America and is thought, “to be no more harmful or addictive than alcohol or tobacco” (Fois, 2013; NORML, n.d.). Said statistics suggest that decriminalizing the use of marijuana

Soon this practice was extended to African-American artist and musicians whom became easy targets of racial prejudice (Drug Policy Alliance, n.d; Musto, 1991). As a result, the criminalization of marijuana centered upon racial discrimination and politics rather than scientific evaluations regarding risk (Drug Policy Alliance, n.d.). Still today, statistics confirm racial disparities associated with the rate of arrest coupled with the use of marijuana. According to the Drug Policy Alliance (n.d.), “majority of all drug arrests in the District are for simple possession of marijuana and the vast majority of the thousands arrested each year in the District are African American.” Though the usage rates are comparable, “black people are 3.7 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than white people” (Drug Policy Alliance,

While “civil infractions and penalties” are still permitted through decriminalization, the adverse consequences of the individual for possession of small quantities of marijuana are no longer irreversible punishments (Fois, 2013). For most criminal convictions, a permanent criminal record is established that trails an individual for the rest of their life. Some convictions have “resulted in individuals not obtaining employment, losing employment, losing their property or housing, being refused admission to college or denied scholarships and other collateral” (Fois, 2013). Nevertheless, public attitudes regarding the use of marijuana is changing and thus many view the adverse consequences as disproportionate to the crime. Moreover, decriminalizing possession of small quantities of marijuana allows law enforcement to focus on more serious crime in addition to cutting cost within the criminal justice system (Fois,