Policymakers, researchers and law enforcement report reforms in marijuana laws have had positive effects on criminal justice policy and could save billions of dollars. But “staggering racial disparities remain” in drug use arrests, “and in some cases are exacerbated,” reports the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice (CJCJ).
“African Americans are still more likely to be arrested for marijuana offenses after reform than all other races and ethnicities were before reform,” reported Mike Males and Lizzie Buchen of CJCJ.
The report is titled Reforming Marijuana Laws: Which Approach Best Reduces the Harms of Criminalization? A Five-State Analysis. It studied California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Colorado and Washington and measured the “effectiveness in reducing marijuana arrests and their impact on various health and safety outcomes.”
The report also concluded:
Decriminalization in California has not resulted in harmful consequences for teenagers, such as increased crime, drug overdose, driving under the influence or school dropout. In fact, California teenagers showed improvements in all risk areas after reform.
Decriminalization more effectively reduced associated harms of drug use arrests, such as fines, jail time, community service, a criminal record, loss of student loans and court costs for people of all ages, particularly for young people.
All states experienced substantial declines in marijuana possession arrests, but further reforms are needed to address racial disparities.