Washington, DC: Domestic cultivation of cannabis is rising and is responsible for the majority of marijuana available in the United States, according to the National Drug Intelligence Center’s (NDIC) latest “National Drug Threat Assessment” report.
The report states that domestic pot production levels are increasing and now range from 6,000 to 19,000 metric tons annually. Accordingly, the report notes that 98 percent of state and local law enforcement agencies describe the availability of marijuana in their area as “high or moderate.”
Overall, the report estimates that anywhere from 12,000 to 25,000 metric tons of marijuana is available in the United States, up from previous estimates of 10,000 to 24,000 metric tons. Mexico remains the largest producer of cannabis imported into the US, followed by Canada, Colombia, and Jamaica, authors note.
The NDIC report also finds that few state and local law enforcement agencies identify marijuana as a serious threat to public safety. Less than five percent of US law enforcement agencies surveyed identified marijuana as a significant contributor to violent crime in their area, and most ranked methamphetamine and/or cocaine as far greater threats to public health and safety.
“[D]espite the volume of marijuana trafficked and used in [the United States,] … the threat associated with [it] … lags behind that associated with methamphetamine and cocaine, including crack,” the report concludes. Authors add that an estimated 94 million Americans aged 12 or older have reported using cannabis, and “many of these users likely suffered no severe ill effects.”
For more information, please contact either Allen St. Pierre or Paul Armentano of NORML at (202) 483-5500. Full text of the NDIC report, “National Drug Threat Assessment 2005,” is available online at:
http://www.usdoj.gov/ndic/pubs11/12620/