Mi Pot Arrest Statistics...

[mibrains]

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2015/10/michigan_pot_arrests_are_trend.html Michigan pot arrests are trending up, and 8 other points about marijuana

 

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A licensed marijuana caregiver in Kalamazoo County holds marijuana produced for licensed patients. A City of Portage Marijuana Decriminalization Proposal ballot question did not qualify for the November 4, 2014 election ballot for voters in the city of Portage in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. Initiative efforts to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana were announced in 18 cities throughout Michigan for 2014 ballots. Eleven qualified for the November 2014 ballot, while two were postponed to 2015 ballots and three did not make the ballot at all. Two were approved on August 5, 2014. (Mark Bugnaski / Kalamazoo Gazette)

Mark Bugnaski | MLive.com

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By Julie Mack | jmack1@mlive.com

on October 19, 2015 at 5:35 AM, updated November 24, 2015 at 4:20 PM

 

 

 

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At a time when surveys indicate a majority of Michigan residents support legalizing pot, arrests for marijuana possession or use are increasing — even as arrests for other crimes are going down, according to data collected by the Michigan State Police.

Between 2008 and 2014, arrests for marijuana possession or use went up 17 percent statewide, that data shows, while arrests for all crimes dropped by 15 percent.

One possible reason: Federal health surveys indicate marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug, and the number of regular users has been increasing.

In 2013, about 7.5 percent of Americans age 12 or older had used marijuana in the past month, according the 2015 federal Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Below are other highlights from the Michigan arrest data, which was collected by the State Police from local and county enforcement agencies.

Database: 2014 marijuana arrests by county

County  

 

Online Database by Caspio

1. The vast majority of marijuana arrests are for possession or use.

In 2014, there were 20,483 arrests for marijuana use or possession, which was 86 percent of all marijuana arrests. About 10 percent of the other arrests are for selling the drug, and the remainder are for "producing" the drug, smuggling or "other."

Arrests related to marijuana are about two-thirds of all drug arrests in Michigan and in 2014 were 9 percent of all criminal arrests.

2. A disproportionate number of those arrested for marijuana-related crimes are between the ages of 18 and 24.

About 43 percent of those arrested in 2014 for marijuana were age 18 to 24. The breakdown for other age groups: 26 percent were age 25 to 34; 11 percent were age 35 to 44; 9 percent were under 18; 7 percent were age 45 to 54, and 3 percent were sage 55 or older.

The federal drug survey indicates that marijuana use is highest among young adults. In fact, 24 percent of male and 17 percent of female female full-time college students age 18 to 22 use marijuana, the survey shows.

3. The vast majority of those arrested in marijuana cases are men.

Men comprised 83 percent of marijuana arrests in 2014, which is disproportionate compared to their rate of usage.

About 9.7 percent of American males age 12 and older are users of marijuana compared to 5.6 percent of women, according to a 2013 federal survey on drug use.  

That means men are 1.7 times more likely to use marijuana, but are five times more likely to be arrested on marijuana charges.

4. African-Americans are a disproportionate number of marijuana arrests.

An African-American in Michigan was three times more likely to be arrested in 2014  for violating marijuana laws compared to a white person, although surveys and research indicate little difference between usage rates between the two groups.

In all, African-Americans comprise about 14 percent of Michigan's population, but 35 percent of marijuana arrests.

5. Among counties with at least 50,000 residents, Berrien County had the highest number of arrests per capita and neighboring Cass County had the lowest in 2014.

On average, there were about 2.4 marijuana arrests per 1,000 Michigan residents statewide. By comparison, the arrest rate in Berrien County was 4.6 per 1,000 residents compared to 0.6 in Cass County.

Among all counties, Keweenaw County had only one marijuana arrest in 2014, making it the county with the lowest marijuana arrest rate. Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, Crawford County — which includes Grayling — had 237 marijuana arrests in 2014 for an eye-popping rate of 17.2 arrests per 1,000 residents.

6. Since 2011, 21 Michigan cities have voted on legalizing or decriminalizing marijuana.

Initiatives to decriminalize marijuana have been approved in 15 communities: Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing,  Flint, Kalamazoo, Saginaw, Port Huron, East Lansing, Mount Pleasant, Ypsilanti, Berkeley, Hazel Park, Huntington Woods, Oak Park and Pleasant Ridge.

Such ballot proposals were voted down in six communities: Frankfort, Clare, Harrison, Lapeer, Onaway and Montrose.

On Nov. 3, Portage residents in Kalamazoo County will be voting on a proposal to decriminalize marijuana. 

The MiLegalize is seeking to put a proposal on the November 2016 ballot to legalize, regulate and tax marijuana in Michigan.

7. Decriminalization initiatives have had mixed impact on arrests in those communities.

Six communities — Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Kalamazoo, Flint and Ypsilanti — passed decriminalization initiatives before 2014.

Based on arrests in those cities for marijuana use or possession in 2011 compared to 2014, the initiatives had mixed impact.

The most dramatic changed occurred in Grand Rapids, where arrests for marijuana use or possession dropped from 952 in 2011 to 93 in 2014.

The numbers also dropped significantly between 2011 and 2014 in the city of Kalamazoo, from 327 to 166.

In Detroit, arrests dropped from 1,297 to 974 during the three-year period.

Arrests for marijuana use or possession actually went up in Lansing and Ypsilanti. Lansing had 73 arrests for marijuana use or possession in 2011, compared to 79 in 2014. In Ypsilanti, arrests went from 74 to 88 during that time frame.

8. Daily or almost use of marijuana is increasing, the 2013 federal drug survey shows.

In 2013, 8.1 million persons aged 12 or older used marijuana on 20 or more days in the past month, which was an increase from the 5.1 million daily or almost daily past month users in 2005 to 2007. The number of daily or almost daily users in 2013 represented 41.1 percent of past month marijuana users, the survey shows.

[mibrains]

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2014/02/database_look_up_marijuana-rel.html

[mibrains]

i don't know zap but its not cool... because its a fear tactic and we don't need any more fear in our lives.

[Smallbiz]

Abrogate says 400%, don't try telling them their wrong they'll tell you your facts are wrong.

[mibrains]

oh yes..

i know tim..

i have met tim several times....

he is a good man trying his best to effect change.

i just think everyone should remove the fear tactics when presenting their case.

400% is not accurate at all and it puts fear ini charge of motivation instead of calm rational thinking and thats dangerous.

[mibrains]

zap the article from mlive suggests that they are in fact up a slight amount (which i find ignorant) and that the minorities are still suffering the blunt majority of the damages.

 

unfortunately it seems to suggest skin color rather than patient status plays a much more significant role in determining whether or not you will be prosecuted..

[mibrains]

great question zap.. who did make up this number?

[t-pain]

bob was the one repeating the 400% arrest rate for a long time, before milegalize was even a thing.

 

bob, where did you hear 400% ?

[t-pain]

heres him commenting in 2014

http://www.metrotimes.com/detroit/why-cannabis-reformers-are-shy-about-the-high/Content?oid=2201746

bob r • 2 years ago

 

We do agree with Bea Liop arrest are up 400% here inn Michigan and as far as Washington and Colorado goes patients are getting arrested just for driving with cannabis in their system because of the 5 ng limit

another post from bob 2014

http://michiganmedicalmarijuana.org/topic/46502-high-times-says-dispensaries-are-allowed-in-michigan/page-2#entry488549

 

more bob from 2 years ago

http://www.wilx.com/home/headlines/House-Holds-Hearings-to-Change-State-Medical-Marijuana-Law-234650731.html#comment-1152863847

bob r • 2 years ago

 

Let the Courts fix the Law if there is any changes that are needed as i'am tired of fighting for what i voted for 5 years ago and as many that will read this Marihuana arrest are up almost 400% just in this State

[t-pain]

bob saying it in july 2013...

http://michiganmedicalmarijuana.org/topic/43776-mi-appeals-court-rules-that-medical-marijuana-edibles-are-not-usable-marijuana/page-4#entry451735

thank you

 

but arrest are already up 400% sense the Law was voted in

[t-pain]

searching for "400%" site:michiganmedicalmarijuana.org , only bob has said that statistic on this site, afaict

[t-pain]

I wonder if we can get some real analysis here like we've had for the other legalization states? I see bogus stats being thrown around for Michigan, while we have much more thorough numbers for other states.

what numbers are you looking for?

 

you dont like the mlive numbers?

[trichcycler]

right, and he got that from a mlive, metrotimes article. 2010 this misused http://www.tokeofthetown.com/2010/07/index.php?page=7

 

 

google "Michigan marijuana arrests up 400%" to see the earliest mention of the this number, before bob

[t-pain]

Abrogate says 400%, don't try telling them their wrong they'll tell you your facts are wrong.

So why would both legalization campaigns make up this number and use it to sell their plan, and where did it come from?

where does abrogate or milegalize say 400% ?

[trichcycler]

turns out I think this is a Colorado stat from years ago

[t-pain]

this one from 2009?

http://www.14news.com/Global/story.asp?s=10198492&clienttype=printable

[t-pain]

I saw a post from Timmahh this morning about it, and have heard it in passing discussing legalization with MI Legalize signature gatherers. It could be Bob is the wellspring for this bad statistic. Where did Timmahh get it?

he quoted the mlive article which has since been changed to omit that line.

 

http://michican.us/showthread.php?8315-Bill-Schuette-even-said-it-loud-and-clear-quot-Let-the-Voters-Decide-quot

 

you can see its part of the article, but if you click the article that line is gone...

 

blaming tim for jonathan oostings mistake? dang zap, you hate

[Smallbiz]

^

[t-pain]

i stand corrected then, tim mixes his words with mlive. my bad

 

article looks the same as it does now on mlive in web archive from october.

[phaquetoo]

I think milegalize and abrogate both are using the 400%,,,,,,,,just to get people to vote for one of them, It is very unfair that young black men get arrested more than any others for mj use and possesion,,,,,they profile people and that makes them targets!

 

All People should be treated equal under the law!

 

Peace

[mibrains]

where does abrogate or milegalize say 400% ?

in  the abrogate thread page 23 post 445...from this morning.. tim said it.

 

 

Over the last 3 weeks, as I was in talks with various printers, business people, hospital staff ect.  None of them were even aware the arrest rates have went up to nearly 400% since the act passed.

 

As I told them that little tidbit, a look came across their faces like I was a long time trusted friend and I just knee'd them square in the balls... 

Then when I explained the vast majority were Card Holders, the painful expression of shock that they had, started to turn into gritting teeth.

 

Most the Public have no clue about what has been happening with the MMM Act.

 

And most of these people were "Republicans".

[mibrains]

the article i posted on page one is Mlive from October 2015

 

i started this thread this morning because i assumed that it would spin off a whole new topic and i didnt want to muddle the abrogate thread...

[Smallbiz]

According to marijuana seizure statistics from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, marijuana arrests in Michigan increased 371 percent from 2003 to 2011. The DEA doesn’t track how many of those arrests — 140 in 2003 and 659 in 2011 — were related to medical marijuana operations. The Michigan State Police also do not maintain that information.

 

What is with 140-659 those would be like DEA involved? This is part of the article bob posted, and gets the 400% from.

[mibrains]

just found this article from October that says use is up only 17%

 

 

http://michiganradio.org/post/michigan-marijuana-arrests-rise-use-increases-nationwide#stream/0

 

Michigan marijuana arrests rise as use increases nationwide

By Michigan Radio Newsroom • Oct 19, 2015

ShareTwitter Facebook Google+ Email

Credit USFWS

Regular marijuana use is increasing nationwide, and in Michigan, more people are going to jail for it.

Michigan voters approved the use of medical marijuana in 2008. Proposals for the legalization or decriminalization of marijuana have been voted on in 21 Michigan cities since 2011, with 15 communities approving them.

Despite these city ordinances, arrests for marijuana possession or use went up 17% between 2008 and 2014, according to data from the Michigan State Police.

Marijuana use and possession made up 86 percent of all marijuana arrests in 2014. The remaining arrests were for selling, "producing," smuggling and "other," according to the data.

One reason may be that marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug, and regular use is on the rise, according to results from the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration conducts the annual survey of the non-institutionalized population of the United States, ages 12 and older.

Between 2008 and 2013, the number of people age 12 and older who used marijuana 20 or more days in a month increased from 5.5 to 8.1 million, according to the NSDUH.

The effects of marijuana initiatives in individual Michigan cities has varied.

Grand Rapids experienced a drastic decrease in marijuana use or possession arrests, from 952 in 2011 to 93 in 2014, after marijuana was decriminalized in 2012. Lansing saw an increase from 73 to 79 during that same time frame.

Medical marijuana dispensaries and grow facilities have had little impact on the city of Ypsilanti since a ballot initiative passed with an 82% vote to allow them, according to city attorney John Barr.

"With any of these dispensaries or grow facilities, we've had very little difficulties with them to almost like they're off the map; we don't hear about them," Barr said.

He said the city had three options:

"We could do nothing and let these dispensaries go wherever they wanted to, we could try to criminalize marijuana in the city on the basis of the federal law, or we could regulate where people were having dispensaries," Barr said.

The city chose the regulation route.

A campaign by the Michigan Comprehensive Cannabis Law Reform Committee aims to place a Michigan Marijuana Legalization Initiative on the November 8, 2016 state ballot. If it's approved the measure would legalize, regulate and tax marijuana for adults age 21 and older.

- Paulette Parker, Michigan Radio Newsroom

[mibrains]

Marijuana use and possession made up 86 percent of all marijuana arrests in 2014. The remaining arrests were for selling, "producing," smuggling and "other," according to the data.

 

it appears as though statistically speaking its safer to grow than it is to use...

 

i mean 86% for use or possession?

 

i bet that includes all the plea deals where people plea down to simple possession instead of facing a distribution charge for selling..