A Breakdown Of Each County’s Marijuana Enforcement Spending In Washington State
Washington State is going to be voting on marijuana reform this November. Out of Washington State, Colorado, and Oregon, Washington’s I-502 has drawn the most debate. I think it’s important for everyone on both sides of the issue to know the economics behind their decision, and luckily for all of us, the great people at ACLU of Washington have created a stellar interactive map that breaks down marijuana enforcement spending by county. Thanks to Sam Chapman for showing me this! Below is an excerpt an a link to the interactive map:
Washington state’s war on marijuana has cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars over the last decade. Every one of Washington’s 39 counties has spent millions of dollars enforcing these laws.
A new interactive map created by the ACLU of Washington (which can be accessed below), estimates how much each county has spent on adult marijuana law enforcement between the years 2000-2010. It also shows where this money goes in the criminal justice system. Millions are spent arresting, prosecuting, defending, convicting, jailing, and supervising adults for marijuana offenses.
At a time when local government budgets are being squeezed thin, scarce public safety resources should be spent in a more productive manner, such as going after violent criminals. Please take a minute to see how much your county has spent on marijuana law enforcement and stay tuned for additional visualizations covering Washington’s war on marijuana.
Click this link to access the ACLU of Washington interactive map
