Federal prosecutions tied to marijuana trafficking have dropped to their lowest level on record, reflecting a 95% decline that has unfolded over more than a decade, according to newly released figures from the U.S. Sentencing Commission.
The commission’s data shows that fewer than 400 individuals faced federal marijuana trafficking charges in 2025. That marks the smallest annual total ever recorded and highlights the changing landscape of cannabis enforcement across the country. Marijuana-related cases accounted for just 2% of all federal drug trafficking prosecutions during the year.
The contrast with earlier years is striking. In 2012, federal courts sentenced close to 7,000 people for offenses involving marijuana trafficking. That same year marked a turning point in U.S. cannabis policy when voters in Washington and Colorado approved the nation’s first legal frameworks for adult recreational marijuana sales.
Since then, federal prosecution numbers have steadily moved downward. By 2015, the annual total had fallen below 4,000 cases, and by 2019 it had dropped to fewer than 1,000.
The reduction in federal marijuana prosecutions mirrors a similar pattern seen at the U.S.-Mexico border. Government records indicate that border agents seized approximately 61,000 pounds of marijuana in 2023, the lowest amount reported in modern records. Compared with 2013 levels, that represents a decline of roughly 98% in cannabis seizure activity.
Observers say the figures reflect broader shifts in how marijuana is produced, distributed, and sold throughout the U.S. As more states establish regulated cannabis markets, demand for illicitly imported marijuana appears to have weakened, contributing to lower enforcement activity at both the border and the federal court level.
Paul Armentano, deputy director of NORML, noted that the statistics suggest that state-regulated cannabis programs are having a significant impact on illegal marijuana commerce. He argued that the growth of licensed markets has reduced the role of international suppliers while allowing federal authorities to direct attention and resources toward other criminal investigations that may present greater public safety concerns.
The sentencing data also offers a wider snapshot of federal criminal enforcement. Drug-related offenses continued to represent a substantial share of the federal caseload in 2025, accounting for nearly one-quarter of all prosecutions.
Among those cases, methamphetamine remained the dominant focus for federal authorities. Almost half of individuals prosecuted for federal drug crimes were involved in offenses connected to methamphetamine, making it the most common drug category in the federal system.
The wider marijuana industry, including major companies like Cresco Labs Inc. (CSE: CL) (OTCQX: CRLBF), will be happy that fewer people are now being prosecuted for marijuana-related offenses now that most of the country has legalized some form of the drug.
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