Is the ‘War on Drugs’ Over? Arrest Statistics Say No

Arrests for marijuana possession are most common, even as public opinion has shifted in favor of its legalization.Arrests for marijuana possession are most common, even as public opinion has shifted in favor of its legalization.

By Susan Stellin

Despite bipartisan calls to treat drug addiction as a public health issue rather than as a crime — and despite the legalization of marijuana in more states — arrests for drugs increased again last year.

According to estimated crime statistics released by the F.B.I. in September, there were 1,654,282 arrests for drugs in 2018, a number that has increased every year since 2015, after declining over the previous decade. Meanwhile, arrests for violent crime and property crime have continued to trend downward.