DEA Reports Rise in Marijuana-Related Seizures and Arrests: Why Is This Happening? NORML has an idea
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Federal law enforcement officials and their partners seized over 5.5 million cultivated marijuana plants and made more than 6,600 marijuana-related arrests in 2021, according to annual data from the DEA, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) reported.
According to figures published in the DEA’s Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program Statistical Report, agents and their partners seized about 5.53 million cultivated cannabis plants last year — a 20% increase from the 2020 total. Law enforcement agencies also reported 6,606 marijuana-related arrests, a 25% increase over last year’s totals (when agents reported 4,992 arrests).
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The totals are the highest reported by the agency since 2011, when it made an estimated 8,500 weed-related arrests and seized about 6.7 million plants through its domestic eradication program. Since then, annual arrests have generally dropped below 6,000 a year, while cannabis seizures fell to an all-time low in 2018 (when an estimated 2.8 million plants were seized).
Commenting on the data, NORML Associate Director Paul Armentano said: “At a time when the overwhelming majority of voters support legalization and more and more states – and even members of Congress – are moving in that direction, is It is troubling to see state agents and their local partners reversing course and revitalizing their marijuana enforcement efforts.”
NORML Political Director Morgan Fox added: “The fact that these prohibition efforts are increasing – at a high cost to taxpayers – despite increasing momentum for legalization, is a testament to the failure of federal prohibition and unnecessarily onerous state regulatory policies. “
An opportunity for policy makers
Fox explained that lack of access to banking services and capital, high barriers to entry into legal cannabis markets, and exorbitant tax rates at all levels of government clearly impede the ability of licensed cannabis companies to compete in the unregulated market.
“The solutions to this situation are more than obvious at this point, and they do not involve law enforcement officers putting themselves at risk by exiting helicopters or conducting armed raids. It is incumbent on policymakers to adopt evidence-based, market-driven, and equity-driven policies to minimize unregulated cannabis activity,” Fox said in a press release.
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“Federal agents and their local partners also reported seizing $103 million in assets in 2021 — more than double the amount seized in 2020 — as part of the program that took place nationwide in California. Law enforcement also reported seizures of large quantities of crops in Kentucky (317,621) and Oklahoma (158,124),” NORML reported.
This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been republished with permission.
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