The ACLU released a new tool on Tuesday, allowing users to track the racial disparity and frequency of marijuana arrests across the U.S., as well as the amount of money their states have spent enforcing marijuana laws.
The Uncovery uses 2010 data from an in-depth ACLU report released last year. The study found that black Americans were nearly four times more likely than whites to be arrested for pot possession, despite the fact that they use marijuana at about the same rate. In states like Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, and in Washington, D.C., blacks were up to 8.5 times more likely to be arrested for possessing pot. In total, the federal government spent more than $3.6 billion enforcing anti-weed laws in 2010, racking up a total of 853,838 arrests for marijuana-related offenses, at an average of one every 41 seconds.
To use the tool, click here.
For more on the racist roots of marijuana prohibition, check out The Uncovery website.
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