The new numbers, released by the FBI on Monday, brought a sharp reaction from groups that have been pushing for legalized recreational pot use in state campaigns across the country.

Tom Angell, chairman of the Marijuana Majority, called the overall increase "jarring," but said that with increased legalization of recreational use of the drug in several states, he expects the arrest totals to drop in the coming years.

"But at a time when a growing majority of Americans support legalizing marijuana, it's amazing that police are still putting more people in handcuffs for this," Mr. Angell said.

"There's just no good reason that so much police time and taxpayer money is spent punishing people for marijuana when so many murders, rapes and robberies go unsolved," he added.