21 May 2016
The Journal Star reports
The study by the University of Nebraska at Omaha found that marijuana-related arrests and general law enforcement expenses in Nebraska increased in the year after Colorado’s move to legalize marijuana.
Seizing on the report, ACLU of Nebraska Executive Director Danielle Conrad released a statement, saying that Nebraska’s war on drugs is a failed policy that adds pressure to the prison system.
“It is time Nebraska updated its laws and practices to ensure we are focusing our precious criminal justice resources on real public safety threats, not small amounts of marijuana intended for personal use,” Conrad said.
In the report, UNO cites a 2013 study by ACLU of Nebraska, titled “The War on Marijuana in Black and White.” The 2013 ACLU study found that Nebraska trailed only Washington, D.C., and New York in putting people behind bars for marijuana use.
Conrad said the state spends more than $10 million annually on marijuana regulation, and believes the study should be used as a catalyst for Nebraskans to discuss the best use of taxpayer funds.
University of Nebraska Omaha Information Page on the Report
PDF: Marijuana Enforcement In Nebraska (2009-2014)
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