2025: Of the estimated 845,031 arrests for drug law violations in the United States in 2025, 88.3% (746,162) were for possession of a controlled substance and 11.7% (98,869) were for sale or manufacture of a drug.
2024: Of the estimated 822,488 arrests for drug law violations in the United States in 2024, 87.7% (721,321) were for possession of a controlled substance and 12.3% (101,166) were for sale or manufacture of a drug.
2023: Of the estimated 870,874 arrests for drug law violations in the United States in 2023, 87.7% (763,756) were for possession of a controlled substance and 12.3% (107,118) were for sale or manufacture of a drug.
2020: Of the estimated 1,155,610 arrests for drug law violations in the United States in 2020, 86.7% (1,001,914) were for possession of a controlled substance. Only 13.3% (153,696) were for sale or manufacture of a drug.
2019: Of the estimated 1,558,862 arrests for drug law violations in the United States in 2019, 86.7% (1,351,533) were for possession of a controlled substance. Only 13.3% (207,328) were for sale or manufacture of a drug.
2018: Of the estimated 1,654,282 arrests for drug law violations in the US in 2018, 86.4% (1,429,300) were for possession of a controlled substance. Only 13.6% (224,982) were for sale or manufacture of a drug.
- Data Table: Drug Arrests in the US
- Data Table: Total Annual Arrests in the US by Year and Type of Offense
FBI Uniform Crime Report. Crime in the United States 2025 - Arrests. FBI Uniform Crime Report. Washington, DC: US Dept of Justice, Fall 2026. FBI Uniform Crime Report. Arrest Table: Arrests for Drug Abuse Violations. FBI Uniform Crime Report. Washington, DC: US Dept of Justice, Fall 2026. FBI Uniform Crime Report. Crime in the United States 2024 - Arrests. FBI Uniform Crime Report. Washington, DC: US Dept of Justice, Fall 2025. FBI Uniform Crime Report. Arrest Table: Arrests for Drug Abuse Violations. FBI Uniform Crime Report. Washington, DC: US Dept of Justice, Fall 2025. FBI Uniform Crime Report. "Crime in the United States 2023". FBI Crime Data Explorer. Washington, DC: US Dept. of Justice. Data updated Sept. 23, 2024. Last accessed April 17, 2025. FBI Uniform Crime Report. Crime in the United States 2020 - Arrests and Arrest Table: Arrests for Drug Abuse Violations. Washington, DC: US Dept. of Justice, September 2021. FBI Uniform Crime Report. Crime in the United States 2019 - Arrests and Arrest Table: Arrests for Drug Abuse Violations. Washington, DC: US Dept. of Justice, September 2020. FBI Uniform Crime Report. Crime in the United States 2018 - Arrests and Arrest Table: Arrests for Drug Abuse Violations. Washington, DC: US Dept. of Justice, September 2019.