IA ranks 5th worst in racial disparities for arrests for marijuana possession

Judicial Error

A black person in Iowa is seven times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than a white person, according to a new national report from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

The organization studied law enforcement data from all 50 states.

The report says that is despite studies showing both groups use the drug at about the same rate.

Iowa ranked 5th worst in the United States in racial disparities for marijuana arrests.

Bottom 5 States Ranked By Racial Disparity in Marijuana Arrests (times more likely black people arrested in 2018)

  1. Montana: 9.6x

  2. Kentucky: 9.4x

  3. Illinois (legalized in 2019): 7.5x

  4. West Virginia: 7.3x

  5. Iowa: 7.3x

Read the full story at Iowa’s News Now.