Seriously what is the deal with all the marijuana arrests in this country? Do you really think it is making any sense any more for this drug to be criminalized. Actually let’s get this right in the first place and call it not a drug but a PLANT. In NYC the 2010 Marijuana Arrests Top 1978 to 1996 total. The reform of drug laws is needed now than ever with all the killings in Mexico, the violence that could be prevented, overdosing of prescription drugs, and over-crowding of jails which is bankrupting municipalities.

More people were arrested last year in NYC on charges of marijuana possession than during the entire 19-year period from 1978 to 1996, according to an analysis released this morning by the Drug Policy Alliance. Last year was the sixth year in a row that marijuana possession arrests increased where a staggering 50,383 people were arrested. This is according to a report recently released by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services and obtained by the policy alliance.

The new figure adds up to 140 arrests a day which makes marijuana possession the leading reason for arrest in New York City. This also makes an 8 percent increase over 2009 and a 69 percent increase since 2005 according to the alliance.

From1978 to 1996, there were 49,326 marijuana possession arrests according to a sociology professor at Queens College and an expert on marijuana enforcement. The increased enforcement is due to harsher enforcement not to increasing consumption.

“Over the last 20 years, N.Y.P.D. has quietly made arrests for marijuana their top enforcement priority, without public acknowledgment or debate,”

the alliance said.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg more conservative than we thought? The policy alliance claims there have been about 350,000 arrests for marijuana possession since he took office in 2002. 70% of those arrested are younger than 30.

Isn’t having possession a violation or a slap on the wrist? Possession of less than 25 grams of marijuana has been a violation, not a jailable crime in New York since 1977. It is when you have pot “open to public view” that it is a crime. The advocates are saying that many people who simply have marijuana in their pockets are charged with having the drug “in the open” after officers order them to empty their pockets.