Federal Marijuana Trafficking Cases Fall to Historic Low, Down 62% Since 2021
- The number of federal marijuana trafficking sentences dropped to 383 in fiscal year 2025, marking a 62% decline over five years and a historic low.
- Marijuana cases made up only 2% of all federal drug trafficking cases in 2025, despite its illegal status at the federal level, with 16,144 total federal drug trafficking cases recorded.
- The decline in federal marijuana cases aligns with state-level legalization efforts, as 24 states have legalized recreational marijuana and 40 have allowed medical cannabis use.
- Other drugs like methamphetamine (47%), fentanyl (24%), and cocaine (19%) dominate federal drug trafficking cases, with marijuana offenders receiving the shortest average sentences (44 months) compared to other drugs.
Federal marijuana trafficking cases have fallen to a historic low, according to newly released data from the United States Sentencing Commission.
In fiscal year 2025, 383 people were sentenced federally for marijuana trafficking offenses, down from 471 in 2024, 561 in 2023, 806 in 2022 and 995 in 2021. The total marks a 62% decline over the five-year period.
Marijuana also accounted for just 2% of all federal drug trafficking cases in 2025, despite cannabis remaining illegal under federal law. In total, there were 16,144 federal drug trafficking cases during the year.
The decline continues a broader trend that began after Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize adult-use marijuana in 2012. That year, nearly 7,000 people were sentenced federally for marijuana trafficking. Since then, the total has fallen by roughly 95%, coinciding with a major expansion of state-level legalization laws.
Today, 24 states have legalized recreational marijuana, and 40 have legalized medical cannabis, with regulated stores open in most of those markets.
The drop in marijuana cases comes as federal prosecutors continue to pursue far more cases involving other substances. Methamphetamine accounted for 47% of federal drug trafficking cases in 2025, followed by fentanyl and its analogues at 24%, powder cocaine at 19%, crack cocaine at 3%, heroin at 2% and oxycodone at 1%.
The average sentence for marijuana trafficking was 44 months, the lowest among the seven drug categories highlighted by the commission. By comparison, the average sentence was 105 months for methamphetamine, 81 months for fentanyl, 70 months for crack cocaine and 68 months for powder cocaine.
The data comes as the federal government is in the process of rescheduling cannabis, moving it from its current status as a Schedule I drug to Schedule III.