Steady Drop in Federal Prosecutions for Marijuana Trafficking

There has been a significant and consistent drop in marijuana trafficking cases at the federal level since at least 2016. In 2016, there were at least 3,422 marijuana trafficking cases. In 2020, there were 1,118, and each year showed a steady decline. The top districts for the highest number of marijuana trafficking cases were in Texas, Arizona, and California. The average sentence in 2020 was 29 months, with 69.9% of offenders receiving a downward variance from the sentencing guidelines, though the 29 months reflects an increase in the average sentence since 2016.