REPORT: Marijuana Arrests in Maine Costly and Racially Biased

Black people are twice as likely as white people to be arrested for marijuana possession in Maine, despite the fact that they use marijuana at the same rates, according to a startling new report from our national office.

Alarmingly, in York County, blacks are five times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession – higher than the national average of just under four times.

According to the report, there were 2,842 arrests for marijuana possession in Maine in 2010, accounting for 47.9% of all drug arrests. 75 of them, or 2.6 percent, were arrests of black people, even though black people made up only 1.2 percent of the population.

The report estimates that Maine spends $8.8 million on marijuana possession enforcement annually - including police, judicial and legal services, and corrections expenditures. Nationally, states spent an estimated $3.61 billion enforcing marijuana possession in 2010 alone.

This information comes as the Maine Legislature considers LD 1229, which would send the question of marijuana legalization directly to the voters. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Diane Russell, will be voted on by the full House and Senate soon and has our support.

Eliminating penalties for low-level marijuana possession will prevent people from becoming enmeshed in the criminal justice system in the first instance. Moreover, legalization will eliminate the many collateral consequences that flow from marijuana arrests, thereby reducing the number of people entering or otherwise harmed by the criminal justice system.

The time has come for Maine, and the nation, to realize that less punitive approaches to criminal justice not only make more fiscal sense but also better protect our communities. We look forward to working with the people of Maine for sensible reform.