Earlier this week, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension released the 2019 Uniform Crime Report which detailed criminal arrests made in the state throughout that year. “In 2019, Minnesota recorded a 4.7% increase in [reported] crimes,” the report’s cover letter reads. But what does this report say about cannabis arrests (called “marijuana-related drug abuse arrests”) in the state in 2019?
Here are the main takeaways:
- In 2019, cannabis arrests went down 20% compared to 2018.
- Males were arrests at a higher rate than females for all drug types (including cannabis).
- Almost 70% of those arrested for cannabis-related offenses were between the ages of 18 and 35.
- African Americans were disproportionately over-represented in cannabis arrests in the state.
And a bonus history lesson!
- More than TWICE as many Minnesotans were arrested in 2000 than in 2019 for cannabis-related offenses. (16,113 arrests in 2000 vs. 7077 in 2019)
