The Impact of Marijuana Legalization in Colorado
The statistics are in, and they show that Colorado’s marijuana legalization has not only resulted in the increase of use by people of all ages in the state, but has also impacted the incidences of:
Impaired driving while under the influence of marijuana Emergency room admissions of marijuana cases
Marijuana exposure cases
Diversion of Colorado marijuana
The Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (RMHIDTA) provides important data on how the presence of marijuana has impacted the state in its recently released The Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado, The Impact. Colorado and Washington State serve as experimental labs for the nation as states debate the passage of marijuana laws. This report provides an important overview of “before and after” portraits and provides data for coalitions to use as they continue to address the challenges associated with marijuana legalization.
Colorado’s Marijuana Law
In 2010, Colorado’s legislature passed legislation that included the licensing of medical marijuana centers (“dispensaries”), cultivation operations and manufacturing of marijuana edibles for medical purposes. In November 2012, Colorado voters legalized recreational marijuana allowing individuals to use and possess an ounce of marijuana and grow up to six plants. The amendment also permits licensing marijuana retail stores, cultivation operations, marijuana edible factories and testing facilities. Washington voters passed a similar measure in 2012.
Supporters of the marijuana legalization say that the benefits of marijuana legalization far out- weigh the disadvantages. Law enforcement time would be freed up; there would be less arrests for possession and sale; reduced traffic fatalities since users would switch from alcohol to marijuana; no increase among youth because the regulations would be so tight; added tax revenue; and the black market on marijuana would be eliminated. Those opposed to legalization say that there will be adverse consequences, including increased marijuana use among youth and young adults; increased marijuana-related traffic fatalities; and a rise in the number of marijuana-addicted individuals in treatment.
Here’s where Colorado stands on some of these factors, six years after the legalization began:
Impaired driving: Increased 48 percent in the three‐year average (2013‐2015) since Colorado legalized recreational marijuana compared to the three‐year average (2010‐2012) prior to legalization. Marijuana-related traffic deaths increased by 62 percent from 71 to 115 people after recreational use of marijuana was legalized in 2013.
- Youth marijuana use: Also increased by 20 percent since Colorado legalized marijuana, while national youth marijuana use declined by four percent during that same time period.
- Adult marijuana use: Adult past-month use increased 63 percent since Colorado legalized recreational marijuana, and Colorado’s college students ranked #1 in the nation for past month marijuana use since that time.
- Emergency Department Marijuana and Hospital Marijuana‐Related Admissions: These, too increased from 14,148 in 2013 to 18,255 in 2014. And the number of hospitalizations related to marijuana – increased from 6,305 in 2011 to 11,439 in 2014.
- Treatment admissions: While data does not appear to demonstrate a definitive trend, marijuana still remains as one of the top three drugs involved in treatment submissions over the last 10 years.
- Marijuana‐Related Exposure: Overall exposure increased by 100 percent in the three‐year average (2013‐2015) and for children aged 0-5, marijuana exposures increased 169 percent since Colorado legalized recreational marijuana compared to the three‐year average (2010‐2012) prior to legalization.
The bottom line – coalitions, policymakers, and ultimately citizens should review this and similar data before major legalization decisions are made on this important topic.
You can read the full report here. Other reports on Colorado marijuana legalization can be viewed through the RMHIDTA’s website under the Reports tab.CADCA Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America cadca.org