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In 2012, Colorado voters passed Amendment 64 legalizing marijuana use by those 21 and older. One justification for this policy change was the “health and public safety of our citizens” and promise regulations would “ensure that consumers are informed and protected.”
But legal, by itself, doesn’t mean safe. Like other substances that are legal for adults to consume, including alcohol and tobacco, we know harms are possible from marijuana use.
Since Colorado legalized marijuana, the THC content of commercially sold marijuana has increased dramatically (THC is the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana). Smokeable plant material that was 2% to 5% THC at the time of legalization now is typically sold with potency of 15% and greater. And during the past decade, the marijuana industry has developed a wide array of concentrated inhalable products such as wax and vapes with THC concentrations reaching over 90%.
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A growing body of research has emerged on today’s marijuana including the ultra-high potency products that have become common — we now have a clearer picture of the risks and potential harms.
The State of Colorado requires a printed concentrate warning at dispensaries. It notes THC concentrates may lead to psychosis, dependence and Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome — a term describing uncontrolled and repetitive vomiting which has been associated with deaths nationally.
We also know more now than we did about brain development. Research shows THC is particularly harmful to developing brains, which are growing until age 25.
Moreover, many health effects are dose dependent, no matter the age of the consumer.
We now are in a position to act on this research. That’s a goal of Senate Bill 25-076.
It is essential marijuana products come with a standard THC serving so consumers can make informed decisions about their THC intake, regardless of the form: edible, smoked, vaped or dabbed.
This will reduce accidental overconsumption and related health problems, in addition to providing consumers a way to gauge how much they consume. This is vitally important because since 2022 more people use marijuana daily than alcohol.
The bill will:
Create a standard serving of inhalable THC, aligning it with the standard serving for marijuana edibles.Require labeling that better educates and informs customers about marijuana products, including the total amount of THC per package.Limit the high-potency recreational marijuana products available to consumers age 25 or younger. It will also prohibit added flavors for products sold to these young adults.
A second goal of this bill is to avoid the same mistakes we made with marijuana when it comes to the new market for psychedelics.
Colorado needs to apply lessons learned from legalized marijuana, now that the state has legalized psychedelic substances like psilocybin.
Candy forms are very enticing to little kids. In 2023, more than a quarter of all marijuana exposures reported to poison control were for accidental ingestion by children 5 and younger.
Flavored products are very enticing to teenagers. The 2023 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey data indicates a significant increase in high school marijuana vaping among current marijuana users. Since 2015, the percentage of high school marijuana users who vaped it has more than doubled from 22% to 46%. This period coincides with an explosion in fruity and sweet flavored marijuana vaping products.
Poison control centers have already received calls about psilocybin exposure among toddlers. Candy forms are appealing to youngsters who don’t recognize they’re actually ingesting a powerful drug.
Therefore, the bill will also prohibit the manufacture or distribution of so-called natural medicine, or psilocybin alternatives, that are concentrated, flavored, sweetened or in candy form.
The legislation also requires a universal symbol on commercially manufactured natural medicine to indicate the product contains an intoxicating substance, while also requiring expanded reporting of adverse medical or behavioral reactions to identify emerging trends and risks.
None of this would recriminalize marijuana or psychedelics in Colorado.
Senate Bill 25-076 is supported by a growing coalition including the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police, the Colorado Psychological Association, and two parent-led groups: One Chance to Grow Up and Blue Rising. The bill aims to empower consumers to protect their health, while limiting harm to young people, all based on the established risks.
This is common-sense policy based on sound science.
Sens. Judy Amabile and Byron Pelton and Reps. Kyle Brown and Anthony Hartsook are co-sponsors of Senate Bill 25-076. Amabile and Brown are Democrats. Pelton and Hartsook are Republicans.
”}]] In 2012, Colorado voters passed Amendment 64 legalizing marijuana use by those 21 and older. One justification for this policy change was the “health and public safety of our citizens” Read More
