Drug Arrest Statistics 2024
FBI data on drug abuse violation arrests across the United States.
The Changing Landscape of Drug Enforcement
In 2024, law enforcement made an estimated 822,488 arrests for drug abuse violations. This represents a significant shift from the peak of the War on Drugs, when drug arrests exceeded 1.8 million per year.
The decline reflects several trends: marijuana legalization in 24 states plus DC has removed the most common drug arrest category in many jurisdictions. Meanwhile, the fentanyl crisis has shifted enforcement focus from users to traffickers. Many cities have adopted diversion programs that route low-level drug offenders to treatment rather than arrest.
Drug arrests still represent roughly 11% of all arrests — making drug offenses one of the most common arrest categories despite the decline.
Drug Arrests by Race & Ethnicity
Drug enforcement has historically shown significant racial disparities. Despite similar rates of drug use across racial groups, arrest rates differ substantially — a pattern documented by researchers and the U.S. Sentencing Commission.
| Race | Arrests | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 477,040 | 67.4% |
| Black or African American | 209,813 | 29.7% |
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 11,430 | 1.6% |
| Asian | 7,688 | 1.1% |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 1,464 | 0.2% |
| Total | 707,435 | 100% |
Research consistently shows that drug use rates are similar across racial groups, but arrest rates differ due to policing strategies, geographic targeting, and systemic factors. See full demographics | racial disparities | crime by race
Drug Arrests by State
| # | State | Drug Arrests | % of State Total | Total Arrests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 7,121 | 1.2% | 590,730 |
| 2 | Texas | 6,605 | 1.2% | 571,126 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | 6,062 | 2.5% | 240,435 |
| 4 | Virginia | 5,433 | 2.6% | 206,152 |
| 5 | Georgia | 5,003 | 2.9% | 172,924 |
| 6 | Florida6,7 | 3,881 | 1.2% | 315,030 |
| 7 | Tennessee | 3,320 | 1.3% | 249,904 |
| 8 | Illinois | 3,240 | 1.7% | 190,762 |
| 9 | South Carolina | 2,485 | 1.6% | 152,320 |
| 10 | Michigan | 2,393 | 1.4% | 169,097 |
| 11 | Minnesota | 2,386 | 2.0% | 117,308 |
| 12 | North Carolina | 2,306 | 1.1% | 211,218 |
| 13 | Arizona | 1,747 | 0.8% | 208,650 |
| 14 | New Jersey | 1,487 | 1.0% | 148,755 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | 1,482 | 0.8% | 182,053 |
| 16 | Missouri | 1,397 | 1.1% | 130,675 |
| 17 | Oregon | 1,318 | 1.1% | 119,510 |
| 18 | Ohio | 1,246 | 0.8% | 165,980 |
| 19 | Nevada | 1,137 | 1.0% | 111,515 |
| 20 | Colorado | 1,121 | 0.6% | 175,929 |
| 21 | Delaware | 1,042 | 3.9% | 26,664 |
| 22 | Indiana | 985 | 0.8% | 120,897 |
| 23 | Iowa | 952 | 1.2% | 77,564 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | 866 | 1.0% | 89,594 |
| 25 | Alabama | 837 | 0.6% | 135,054 |
| 26 | New York | 797 | 0.2% | 351,441 |
| 27 | Massachusetts | 788 | 0.9% | 90,793 |
| 28 | Utah | 745 | 0.8% | 97,657 |
| 29 | Washington | 730 | 0.5% | 152,270 |
| 30 | Kentucky | 726 | 0.4% | 180,954 |
| 31 | Nebraska | 650 | 1.2% | 52,082 |
| 32 | Louisiana | 580 | 0.7% | 82,833 |
| 33 | Maryland | 552 | 0.5% | 114,083 |
| 34 | Arkansas | 522 | 0.5% | 106,112 |
| 35 | North Dakota | 517 | 1.8% | 28,637 |
| 36 | Mississippi | 431 | 0.8% | 52,773 |
| 37 | South Dakota | 423 | 1.0% | 40,886 |
| 38 | Idaho | 415 | 0.8% | 48,899 |
| 39 | Connecticut | 408 | 0.5% | 75,690 |
| 40 | Rhode Island | 353 | 1.5% | 23,559 |
| 41 | New Hampshire | 336 | 0.9% | 37,976 |
| 42 | Kansas | 315 | 0.5% | 62,980 |
| 43 | Maine | 241 | 0.8% | 32,102 |
| 44 | West Virginia | 221 | 0.8% | 28,542 |
| 45 | New Mexico | 216 | 0.4% | 50,984 |
| 46 | Vermont | 206 | 1.5% | 13,624 |
| 47 | Hawaii | 158 | 0.6% | 28,191 |
| 48 | Alaska | 141 | 0.7% | 20,014 |
| 49 | Montana | 102 | 0.4% | 28,396 |
| 50 | District Of Columbia5 | 75 | 0.2% | 40,032 |
| 51 | Wyoming | 52 | 0.3% | 18,033 |
Source: FBI Persons Arrested, 2024.