Racial Disparities in the Enforcement of Marijuana Violations in the US

Racial disparities in marijuana arrests cannot be explained by usage differences alone. The research found that differences in how often Black and white Americans use marijuana do not account for the significant racial disparities observed in police records, suggesting enforcement practices play a meaningful role.

Where people buy marijuana matters for arrest disparities. The study identified that variations in purchasing locations and frequency partially explain racial disparities, indicating that enforcement may be concentrated in certain neighborhoods or contexts where particular racial groups are more visible to police.

Disparities are growing, especially in states that legalized marijuana. The research documents an increase in racial disparities across most counties over the past decade, with the largest increases occurring in states that legalized marijuana—a counterintuitive finding that raises questions about how legalization policies are being implemented and enforced.

Wealthier communities show larger racial disparities in enforcement. Counties with higher income levels, higher high school graduation rates, and higher employment rates actually showed greater racial disparities in marijuana enforcement, suggesting that enforcement patterns may differ systematically across communities with different socioeconomic profiles.

Socioeconomic factors are linked to enforcement disparities. The correlation between county-level economic conditions and racial disparities in arrests suggests that broader structural inequalities may be connected to how marijuana laws are enforced across different communities.