The report did not include a breakdown of the charges, but they could include such violations as unlicensed cultivation and sales of marijuana, or sales to a minor.
Misdemeanor marijuana arrests were down slightly in 2019: They numbered 3,769, versus 3,835 in 2018, NORML said.
In a statement, NORML said Black residents were 4.47 times more likely than whites to be arrested for a marijuana crime in California in 2019, compared with 4.05 times as often in 2018, when weighted for population. Hispanic residents were about twice as likely as whites to be arrested, also up from 2018, the group said.
Fewest California cannabis arrests in 65 years
The number of felony arrests last year marked the lowest figure since 1954, NORML said.
California broadly legalized marijuana in January 2018, after voters approved the move in 2016. In general, California treats cannabis like alcohol, allowing people 21 and older to legally possess up to an ounce and grow six marijuana plants at home. Shops, cultivation and manufacturing in the legal market must be licensed by the state.
However, robust illegal sales, free of hefty taxes that can approach 50% in some communities, continue to outpace the legal market.
Law enforcement has long been criticized for disproportionate marijuana arrest rates for people of color. A study earlier this year by the American Civil Liberties Union found that nationwide, Black people are 3.6 times more likely than white people to be arrested for marijuana, despite similar usage rates.
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