New Jersey

ACLU: NJ Marijuana Arrests Jump About 35% Over 4 Years

What to Know

  • Report by ACLU of NJ shows marijuana-related arrests jumped about 35% over a four-year period ending in 2017.
  • It showed nearly 38,000 arrests for cannabis possession, distribution or both in 2017, up from about 28,000 in 2013
  • The ACLU advocates recreational marijuana legalization in New Jersey

A report by the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey shows marijuana-related arrests jumped about 35% over a four-year period ending in 2017. 

The ACLU-NJ published the data — based on FBI crime figure — on Friday. It showed nearly 38,000 arrests for cannabis possession, distribution or both in 2017, up from about 28,000 in 2013.

The ACLU advocates recreational marijuana legalization in New Jersey.

The Democratic leaders of the Legislature and Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy support legalization. But the effort has stalled among rank-and-file lawmakers.

The report looked at recently available data from 2017 and compared it with the last time the ACLU did a similar report in 2017, which used 2013 data. 

A message seeking an explanation for the uptick was left with the state attorney general.

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