According to data from Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the illicit market for marijuana has been expanding. In fiscal year 2024, CBP seized 174,991 pounds of marijuana, up from 149,582 in FY 2023 and 154,797 in FY 2022.
The number of individual seizure events––as opposed to total weight––has also been increasing. In FY 2024, there were 24,072 seizure events for marijuana. In comparison, there were 18,595 in FY 2023 and 15,020 in FY 2022. This indicates that the increase in seized marijuana, by weight, is due to more than one large bust.
This increase is concerning, given that seizures in the illicit market are often viewed as a proxy for the extent of the illicit market (i.e., an increase in seizures is indicative of a growing illicit market).
For comparison, the amount of seized cocaine was lower in FY 2024 than it was in FY 2023 and FY 2022. The amount of seized fentanyl in FY 2024 was lower in FY 2023 and higher in FY 2022.
Despite assurances from activists that the legalization of marijuana would eliminate the illicit market, this federal data from CBP indicate that the opposite is occurring.
