2016 FINAL Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado …

1 The Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado : The Impact Vol. 4/September 2016 PREPARED BY: ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIDTA INVESTIGATIVE SUPPORT CENTER STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE UNIT INTELLIGENCE ANALYST KEVIN WONG INTELLIGENCE ANALYST CHELSEY CLARKE INTELLIGENCE ANALYST T. GRADY HARLOW The Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado : The Impact Vol. 4/September 2016 Table of Contents i Table of Contents Acknowledgements Executive Summary .. 1 Purpose ..1 State of Washington Data ..5 Introduction .. 7 Purpose ..7 The Debate ..7 Background ..8 Preface ..8 Colorado s History with Marijuana Legalization .

2 9 Medical Marijuana 2000 2008 .. 9 Medical Marijuana Commercialization and Expansion 2009 Present .. 9 Recreational Marijuana 2013 Present .. 11 SECTION 1: Impaired Driving .. 13 Definitions by Rocky Mountain HIDTA ..13 Some Findings ..13 Data for Traffic Deaths ..14 Total Number of Statewide Traffic Deaths .. 15 Traffic Deaths Related to Marijuana .. 16 Operators Testing Positive for Marijuana Involved in Fatal Crashes .. 18 Number of Drivers Involved in Fatal Crashes Who Tested Positive for Marijuana .. 22 Data for Impaired Driving ..22 Number of Positive Cannabinoid Screens .. 23 ChemaTox and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Data Combined (2009 2013).

3 24 ChemaTox Data Only (2013 May2016) .. 24 Colorado State Patrol Number of DUIDs, 2014 and 2015 .. 25 Denver Police Department Number of DUIDs Involving Marijuana .. 26 Larimer County Sheriff s Office Percent of DUIDs Involving Marijuana .. 26 Total Number of Accidents in Colorado .. 27 Related Costs ..27 Some Information from Washington State ..28 The Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado : The Impact Vol. 4/September 2016 Table of Contents ii Case Examples and Related Material ..28 Sources ..34 SECTION 2: Youth Marijuana Use .. 37 Some Findings ..37 Data ..38 Youth Ages 12 to 17 Years Old .. 38 Past Month Marijuana Use Youth Ages 12 to 17 Years Old.

4 38 States for Past Month Marijuana Use Youth Ages 12 to 17 Years Old, 2013/2014 .. 41 All Drug Violations, 2015 2016 School Year .. 42 Impact on School Violation Numbers .. 42 Drug Related Suspensions/Expulsions .. 43 Percent of Total Suspensions in Colorado .. 43 Percent of Total Expulsions in Colorado .. 44 Percent of Total Referrals to Law Enforcement in Colorado .. 44 Colorado Probation Percent of All Urinalysis Tests Positive for Marijuana Youth Ages 10 to 17 Years Old .. 45 Colorado High School Dropout Rates .. 45 Colorado School Resource Officer Survey ..46 Predominant Marijuana Violations, 2016 .. 46 Student Marijuana Source, 2016.

5 47 Some Comments from School Resource Officers .. 47 School Counselor Survey ..50 Predominant Marijuana Violations, 2015 .. 50 Student Marijuana Source, 2015 .. 51 Some Comments from School Counselors .. 51 Youth Use Surveys Not Utilized and Why ..54 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey (HKCS) .. 54 Centers for Disease Control Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS).. 56 2015 YRBS Participation Map .. 56 Monitoring the Future (MTF) Study .. 56 Related Material ..57 Sources ..61 SECTION 3: Adult Marijuana Use .. 63 Some Findings ..63 Data ..64 College Age 18 to 25 Years Old .. 64 Past Month Marijuana Use College Age 18 to 25 Years Old.

6 64 States for Past Month Marijuana Use College Age 18 to 25 Years Old, 2013/2014 .. 67 Adults Age 26+ Years Old .. 68 The Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado : The Impact Vol. 4/September 2016 Table of Contents iii Past Month Marijuana Use Adults Age 26+ Years Old .. 68 States for Past Month Marijuana Use Adults Ages 26+ Years Old, 2013/2014 .. 71 Colorado Adult Marijuana Use Demographics .. 72 Related Material ..72 Sources ..75 SECTION 4: Emergency Department and Hospital Marijuana Related Admissions .. 77 Some Findings ..77 Definitions ..78 Emergency Department Data ..79 Marijuana Related Emergency Department 79 Colorado Emergency Department Rates that are Likely Related to Marijuana .

7 80 Colorado Emergency Department Rates that Could be Related to Marijuana .. 81 Emergency Department Rates Per 100,000 Marijuana Related .. 82 Hospitalization Data ..83 Hospitalizations Related to Marijuana .. 83 Average Marijuana Related Hospitalizations .. 83 Colorado Hospitalization Rates that are Likely Related to Marijuana .. 84 Colorado Hospitalization Rates that Could be Related to Marijuana .. 85 Hospital Discharge Rates Per 100,000 Marijuana Related .. 86 Children s Hospital Marijuana Ingestion Among Children Under 9 Years Old .. 87 Penrose Hospital ( Colorado Springs) Urine Drug Screens Positive for Cannabis.

8 87 Cost ..88 Related Material ..88 Sources ..91 SECTION 5: Marijuana Related Exposure .. 93 Some Findings ..93 Data ..94 Marijuana Related Exposures .. 94 Average Number of Marijuana Related Exposures All 94 Marijuana Related Exposures, By Age Range .. 95 Average Number of Marijuana Related Exposures Children Ages 0 to 5 Years Old .. 95 Average Number of Marijuana Related Exposures Youth Ages 6 to 17 Years Old .. 96 Average Percent of All Marijuana Related Exposures, Children Ages 0 to 5 Years Old .. 96 Number of Marijuana Only Exposures Reported .. 97 Related Material ..97 Sources ..99 The Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado : The Impact Vol.

9 4/September 2016 Table of Contents iv SECTION 6: treatment .. 101 Some Findings ..101 Data ..101 treatment with Marijuana as Primary Substance Abuse, All Ages .. 101 Drug Type for treatment Admissions All Ages .. 102 Percent of Marijuana treatment Admissions by Age Group .. 103 Marijuana treatment Admissions Based on Criminal Justice Referrals .. 104 Comments from Colorado treatment Providers ..104 Related Material ..105 Sources ..107 SECTION 7: Diversion of Colorado Marijuana .. 109 Definitions ..109 Some Findings ..109 Data ..110 Colorado Marijuana Interdiction Seizures .. 110 Average Pounds of Colorado Marijuana from Interdiction Seizures.

10 111 States to Which Colorado Marijuana Was Destined (2015) .. 112 Top Three Cities for Marijuana Origin .. 112 A Few Examples of Interdictions ..113 A Few Examples of Investigations ..115 Comments ..122 Sources ..123 SECTION 8: Diversion by Parcel .. 127 Some Findings ..127 Data ..127 Parcels Containing Marijuana Mailed from Colorado to Another State .. 127 Pounds of Colorado Marijuana Seized by the Postal Inspection Service .. 128 Number of States Destined to Receive Marijuana Mailed from Colorado .. 128 Private Parcel Companies ..129 Some Examples ..129 Sources ..132 SECTION 9: Related Data .. 133 Topics ..133 Some Findings.