California’s Law Enforcement is Still Targeting Minority Smokers

Consistent with national data, people of color are nearly four times as likely to be arrested for possession of cannabis in California. New data reveals that racial inequality is persisting in California’s law enforcement.

The Drug Policy Alliance and the ACLU rounded up data between the Los Angeles and Fresno police departments. “In Los Angeles, approximately 1 in 532 black people are cited for a marijuana possession infraction as compared to 1 in 1,351 Latinos and 1 in 1,923 white people,” the Drug Policy Alliance stated. A minor cannabis infraction can become a burden with piling traffic court fees and fines. All law enforcement officers have to do to bump up misdemeanor to a felony is to find a baggie or a certain amount of cash. When possession of cannabis was dropped from a misdemeanor to an infraction, the arrest rates of blacks got worse.  In Fresno, one out of every 200 black people were cited for cannabis possession.

“It is disappointing to see that even at the level of infractions, California law enforcement are incapable of applying the law equally across racial lines,” said Alice Huffman of the NAACP. “I am hopeful that full legalization as proposed in the Adult Use of Marijuana Act will drastically reduce the numbers of young people of color being funneled into the criminal justice system for minor drug offenses.” Minorities living in Oakland have it the worst. 78 percent of blacks arrested in Oakland were charged with the intent to distribute. Only eight percent of whites arrested were given the same charges.

Pro legalization advocates believe that removing penalties altogether is the only way to remove a corrupted system. In November, voters in California will have their chance. If AUMA passes, those who are already imprisoned will finally have their chance to petition for their release.