NJ marijuana legalization: The 6 toughest weed towns on the Jersey Shore

Mike Davis | Asbury Park Press

Show Caption Hide Caption NJ marijuana legalization: Who are NJ cops arresting for weed? The most common marijuana suspect is a 19-year-old white man living in Bergen County, according to the FBI's Uniform Criminal Reporting program. Marijuana possession makes up nearly 11 percent of all arrests in New Jersey.

New Jersey devotes more resources toward arresting marijuana users than any other state.

And few areas of the Garden State are tougher than the Jersey Shore.

Marijuana possession accounted for 10.6 percent of all arrests statewide in 2016, according to a USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey analysis of arrest data from the FBI's Uniform Criminal Reporting program. Learn more about who is arrested in a video at the top of the page.

BUSTED: Why is New Jersey one of the toughest enforcers of marijuana laws? A USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey investigation.

At the Shore, it's slightly higher: Marijuana possession made up over 11.5 percent of all arrests. In 2016, Monmouth and Ocean County police officers made nearly 4,771 arrests for possession of weed.

Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden said the increase in marijuana arrests could come from police departments dedicating more resources not toward marijuana enforcement, but toward opioid abuse.

“There’s more of a presence on the streets. The (motor vehicle) stops are probably in search of heroin and fentanyl and opioids," Golden said. "That’s the real crisis we have going on.”

RELATED: NJ marijuana legalization opponents want decriminalization

Of the 5,308 drug arrests made by local Monmouth County police officers in 2016, only 225 were for narcotics other than marijuana or cocaine.

The Network also analyzed marijuana possession arrests per capita, which scales arrests per 100,000 residents, measuring cities with high and low populations on an even basis.

Of the 10 towns with the most marijuana arrests per capita, six — Loch Arbour, Harvey Cedars, Deal, Wildwood, Point Pleasant Beach and West Wildwood — are small Jersey Shore communities.

FIRST: Point Pleasant Beach bans all marijuana businesses in town

Here were the six towns in Monmouth and Ocean counties who cracked down the hardest on marijuana possession in 2016:

6) Seaside Park (Ocean County)

Marijuana possession accounted for exactly 30 percent of the 140 arrests made by Seaside Park police officers in 2016.

Since 2007, arrests have jumped more than 366 percent — from the nine arrests made then.

5) Brielle (Monmouth County)

Brielle police arrested 106 people in 2016. Marijuana possession made up 31.1 percent of those arrests.

In 2007, just four arrests were made for marijuana. Ten years later, 33 arrests were made for weed.

4) Englishtown (Monmouth County)

Of the 230 arrests made by Englishtown police in 2016, 32.2 percent were for marijuana possession.

In 2007, not one single arrest was made for marijuana. In 2016, police made 16 pot busts.

3) Allentown (Monmouth County)

Nearly 33 percent of all arrests by Allentown police officers were for marijuana possession.

2) Lakehurst (Ocean County)

Of the 166 arrests made by Lakehurst Police officers in 2016, 36.7 percent were for marijuana possession.

Since 2007, marijuana possession arrests are up nearly 118 percent.

1) Harvey Cedars (Ocean County)

In 2016, Harvey Cedars police officers made 53 arrests, of which 27 were for marijuana possession — the only drug possession arrests made. The rate of 50.9 percent is the highest at the Shore.

Ten years ago, only one arrest was made for marijuana.

Mike Davis; @byMikeDavis: 732-643-4223; mdavis@gannettnj.com