The Effect of the Legalization of Marijuana on Drug Arrests in D.C.

• In Event: Poster Session

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a shift towards the legalization and decriminalization of marijuana across several states. Previous literature indicates racial disparities have persisted in drug arrest rates since the War on Drugs. However, few studies center on the impact of decriminalization or legalization of marijuana on drug arrests. Therefore, this project aims to answer the following questions: How does the legalization of marijuana in D.C affect drug arrest rates? How does this legalization affect racial disparities in drug arrests? Data is collected by Open Data D.C., a database that includes information on adult arrests made by the Metropolitan Police Department from 2013 to 2020 (n=22,979). Logit models indicate that the legalization of marijuana is associated with a decrease in drug arrest rates, whereas the interaction between legalization and being Black is associated with an increase in the probability of a drug arrest. Such results indicate that while legalization of marijuana will contribute to a decrease in drug arrests, it does not lead to a decrease in racial disparities. Future research and policy should focus on the factors that may continue to contribute to racial disparities in arrest rates despite the shift to legalization.

Author

• Sabrina Rizk, University of Maryland