Tom Angell writes about a NORML analysis of FBI Uniform Crime Reporting data showing that ten states **Texas, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Georgia, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Indiana, Louisiana, and Alabama** accounted for roughly 60 percent of the 200,960 marijuana possession arrests nationwide in 2025, with Texas alone responsible for nearly 29,000. The data reveals that 92 percent of all cannabis incidents stem from possession, and marijuana arrests now constitute a quarter of all drug arrests, making it the most-enforced single substance.
- Louisiana had the highest share of total drug arrests from cannabis possession at 62 percent, and its governor recently signed a law jailing people up to one year for smoking within 2,000 feet of school property
- About 13 percent of state and local law enforcement agencies did not contribute data for 2025
- The FBI report contains internal inconsistencies, presenting three different totals for "Drug/Narcotic Offenses" (1,492,005; 1,656,774; and 1,958,377)
- Even in legalized jurisdictions arrests persist: Illinois reported 5,731 possession arrests and Washington, D.C. reported 1,336
- NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano noted that in nearly half the states, low-level marijuana arrests have "fallen nearly to zero"
- Louisiana had the highest share of total drug arrests from cannabis possession at 62 percent, and its governor recently signed a law jailing people up to one year for smoking within 2,000 feet of school property
- About 13 percent of state and local law enforcement agencies did not contribute data for 2025
- The FBI report contains internal inconsistencies, presenting three different totals for "Drug/Narcotic Offenses" (1,492,005; 1,656,774; and 1,958,377)
- Even in legalized jurisdictions arrests persist: Illinois reported 5,731 possession arrests and Washington, D.C. reported 1,336
- NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano noted that in nearly half the states, low-level marijuana arrests have "fallen nearly to zero"
A recent study published in Age and Ageing indicates that older adults with a history of cannabis use demonstrate superior cognitive performance – specifically in areas like attention, executive function, processing speed, and memory – compared to those who have never used cannabis. Interestingly, the benefits were most pronounced in former users, with current users showing less consistent, though still present, cognitive advantages. Researchers suggest these findings challenge common assumptions about cognitive decline in older cannabis users and could encourage more open conversations between clinicians and patients regarding therapeutic cannabis use, while also reducing stigma. Similar longitudinal studies have also shown less cognitive decline in older adults with a history of cannabis use.
