In Minnesota, blacks are nearly eight times more likely to be arrested for possessing marijuana than whites while the use is roughly the same.

According to the ACLU’s original analysis, marijuana arrests now account for over half of all drug arrests in the United States. Of the 8.2 million marijuana arrests between 2001 and 2010, 88% were for simply having marijuana. Nationwide, the arrest data revealed one consistent trend: significant racial bias. Despite roughly equal usage rates, Blacks are 3.73 times more likely than whites to be arrested for marijuana.

via American Civil Liberties Union.

Marijuana joint photo by Torben Hansen via Flickr.

“Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton remains resistant to decriminalizing the possession of marijuana for medical or recreational use, despite recent steps other states have taken to relax their laws.

“Dayton, a Democrat, addressed the issue in a wide-ranging interview Friday, Dec. 7, declaring, ‘I don’t think we need another drug operating in our society,’” via Pioneer Press.