COLORADO & WASHINGTON STATE SINCE · PDF fileserious , negative impacts ... COLORADO &...
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1 In the wake of multimillion-dollar political campaigns funded with out-of- state money, Colorado and Washington voted to legalize marijuana in November 2012. Though it would take more than a year to set up retail stores, personal use (in Colorado and Washington), and home cultivation/ giving away of up to six plants (in Colorado) were almost immediately legalized after the vote. Public marijuana use, though illegal, remains a common way to celebrate the law. Also, a brand-new marijuana industry selling candies, waxes, sodas, and other marijuana items has exploded, and with it a lobby to Kight regulation. These “experiments” in legalization and commercialization, have not succeeded. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Colorado now leads the country in past-month marijuana use by youth, with Washington in 6th place. Other states that have since legalized marijuana occupy 4th place (District of Columbia) and 5th place (Oregon). States with “medical marijuana” laws occupy 2nd and 3rd place (Vermont and Rhode Island, respectively). Additionally, as explained in greater detail below, the laws have had serious, negative impacts on public health and safety. The federal government, through the Department of Justice (DOJ), announced it would initially take a hands-off approach, promising to track the consequences of legalization, from youth marijuana use to use on public lands, and determine action later. So far, however, neither the federal nor state authorities have implemented a robust public tracking system. This failure led the U.S. Government Accountability OfKice (GAO) to criticize DOJ in 2016 for not appropriately monitoring and documenting outcomes. US WA CO 20.7% 19.1% 12.9% 18.9% 17.6% 12.2% 16.1% 15.3% 11.6% 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% US WA CO 20.7% 18.9% 12.9% 18.9% 17.5% 12.3% 16.2% 15.4% 11.8% PAST-YEAR MARIJUANA USE BY STATE (AGES 18+) PAST-YEAR MARIJUANA USE BY STATE (AGES 12+) COLORADO & WASHINGTON STATE SINCE LEGALIZATION PAST-MONTH MARIJUANA USE BY AGE GROUP (2013-2014) 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% Ages 12+ 12-17 years 18-25 years Ages 26+ 12.4% 31.2% 12.6% 14.9% 11.2% 24.5% 10.1% 12.8% 6.1% 19.3% 7.2% 8.0% US WA CO Source: NSDUH Lessons AMer Three Years of Marijuana LegalizaUon Short Report Issued February 17, 2016 WWW.LEARNABOUTSAM.ORG FEBRUARY 17, 2016 Source: NSDUH Past-year and past-month marijuana use by all age groups exceeds the national average in both Washington State and Colorado. Marijuana use in both states has risen signiKicantly* in many categories. *SigniKicant at the 0.05 level.
Transcript of COLORADO & WASHINGTON STATE SINCE · PDF fileserious , negative impacts ... COLORADO &...
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Inthewakeofmultimillion-dollarpoliticalcampaignsfundedwithout-of-statemoney,ColoradoandWashingtonvotedtolegalizemarijuanainNovember2012.Thoughitwouldtakemorethanayeartosetupretailstores,personaluse(inColoradoandWashington),andhomecultivation/givingawayofuptosixplants(inColorado)werealmostimmediatelylegalizedafterthevote.
Publicmarijuanause,thoughillegal,remainsacommonwaytocelebratethelaw.Also,abrand-newmarijuanaindustrysellingcandies,waxes,sodas,
andothermarijuanaitemshasexploded,andwithitalobbytoKightregulation.
These“experiments”inlegalizationandcommercialization,havenotsucceeded.Perhapsunsurprisingly,Coloradonowleadsthecountryinpast-monthmarijuanausebyyouth,withWashingtonin6thplace.Otherstatesthathavesincelegalizedmarijuanaoccupy4thplace(DistrictofColumbia)and5thplace(Oregon).Stateswith“medicalmarijuana”lawsoccupy2ndand3rdplace(VermontandRhodeIsland,respectively).Additionally,asexplainedingreaterdetailbelow,thelawshavehad
serious,negativeimpactsonpublichealthandsafety.
Thefederalgovernment,throughtheDepartmentofJustice(DOJ),announceditwouldinitiallytakeahands-offapproach,promisingtotracktheconsequencesoflegalization,fromyouthmarijuanausetouseonpubliclands,anddetermineactionlater.Sofar,however,neitherthefederalnorstateauthoritieshaveimplementedarobustpublictrackingsystem.ThisfailureledtheU.S.GovernmentAccountabilityOfKice(GAO)tocriticizeDOJin2016fornotappropriatelymonitoringanddocumentingoutcomes.
US WA CO
20.7%19.1%
12.9%
18.9%17.6%
12.2%
16.1%15.3%
11.6%
2011-20122012-20132013-2014
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
US WA CO
20.7%18.9%
12.9%
18.9%17.5%
12.3%
16.2%15.4%
11.8%
PAST-YEARMARIJUANAUSEBYSTATE(AGES18+)PAST-YEARMARIJUANAUSEBYSTATE(AGES12+)
COLORADO&WASHINGTONSTATESINCELEGALIZATION
PAST-MONTHMARIJUANAUSEBYAGEGROUP(2013-2014)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
Ages12+ 12-17years 18-25years Ages26+
12.4%
31.2%
12.6%14.9%
11.2%
24.5%
10.1%12.8%
6.1%
19.3%
7.2%8.0%
USWACO
Source:NSDUH
LessonsAMerThreeYearsofMarijuanaLegalizaUonShortReport
IssuedFebruary17,2016
WWW.LEARNABOUTSAM.ORG FEBRUARY17,2016
Source:NSDUH
Past-yearandpast-monthmarijuanausebyallagegroupsexceedsthe
nationalaverageinbothWashingtonStateandColorado.MarijuanauseinbothstateshasrisensigniKicantly*in
manycategories.
*SigniKicantatthe0.05level.
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TEENADMISSIONSTOTREATMENT
Teenadmissionstotreatmentformarijuanauseatthe
ArapahoeHousetreatmentnetworkinCOincreasedby66%
between2011and2014.
WWW.LEARNABOUTSAM.ORG
TEENARRESTS
ArrestsformarijuanauseinDenverpublicschoolsincreasedby6%betweenthe2013and2014
schoolyears.+66%
Source:DenverPoliceDepartment
+6%
MARIJUANA-RELATEDPOISONINGSHAVERISENSHARPLYINBOTHSTATES
FEBRUARY17,2016
Source:ArapahoeHouse
PoisoningsrelatedtomarijuanahavesurgedinbothColoradoandWashingtonsincebothstateslegalizedmarijuanain2012.
Source:RockyMountainHIDTA(Sep.2015) Source:WashingtonPoisonCenter
COLORADO WASHINGTON
MARIJUANA-RELATEDDUICASESHAVESPIKEDINBOTHCOLORADO&WASHINGTONAFTERLEGALIZATION
PercentageoftotalDUI/DREcasestestedposiUveforTHC*inWA
0%
9%
17%
26%
34%
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015*
32.7%
28.0%
24.7%
18.6%20.2%19.4%
18.2%
*2015datathroughJune2015 Source:NPR&WashingtonTrafKicSafetyCommission(w/updated2012-15statistics)Note:ThisstudyusedtoxicologydatathathadbeennormalizedbytheStateofWashingtontoallowforamulti-yearcomparison,despitethefactthata“marijuanapositive”isnowtriggeredatthe2ng/mllevelversusa1ng/mllevelpriorto2013.
Source:ColoradoStatePatrol;RockyMountainHIDTA(Sep.2015) Note:Only47%ofoperatorsinvolvedintrafKicdeathsweretestedfordrugimpairmentin2014,consistentwithpastpractices
PercentageoftotaltrafficfataliUeswherethedrivertestedposiUveforTHCinCO
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
2006 2008 2010 2012 2014
19.3%
14.8%16.5%
14.1%10.9%10.1%
7.8%7.0%6.9%
PercentageoftotalDUI/DUIDcitaUonsrelatedtomarijuanainCO
20142015
0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14%
14.6%12.2%
COLORADO WASHINGTON
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ISTHEMARIJUANAINDUSTRYTARGETINGLOW-INCOME,MINORITYCOMMUNITIES? ATHRIVINGBLACKMARKETINCOLORADO
A2016investigationbytheDenverPostrevealedthata“disproportionateshare"ofmarijuanabusinessesarenowlocatedinlower-incomeandminoritycommunitiesinDenver,communitiesthatoftensufferdisparateimpactsofdruguse.ThisissimilartoaJohnsHopkinsstudythatshowedthatpredominantlyblack,low-incomeneighborhoodsinBaltimorewereeighttimesmorelikelytohavecarry-outliquorstoresthanwhiteorraciallyintegratedneighborhoods.
+12.5%
DENVERCITYANDCOUNTYCRIMEISUP
InFebruary2015,ColoradoAttorneyGeneralCynthiaCoffmantoldreporters:"Thecriminalsarestillsellingontheblackmarket.…WehaveplentyofcartelactivityinColorado(and)plentyofillegalactivitythathasnotdecreasedatall.”Lt.MarkComteoftheColoradoSpringsPoliceViceandNarcoticsUnitsimilarlycommentedthat“[legalization]hasdonenothingmorethanenhancetheopportunityfortheblackmarket.”Indeed,afederallawenforcementofKicialcharacterizedColoradoas“theblackmarketfortherestofthecountry.”
Source:ColoradoSpringsGazette&USAToday
FEBRUARY17,2016
Source:RockyMountainHIDTA(Sep.2015)
0
100
200
300
400
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
320
207158
36150
521%
#ofparcelsofmarijuanamailedfromCOtoanotherstate&interdictedbytheUSPSIn2014,therewere360
highwayinterdictionsresultinginseizuresofColorado
marijuanadestinedtoover40states.
Thisrepresentsa31%increasefrom2012,anda521%increasefrom2008.
COLORADOMARIJUANAISREGULARLYDIVERTEDTOOTHERSTATES
InthecityandcountyofDenver,overallcrimewasup4.1%in2015,comparedtotheprioryear.Mostsaliently,drugandnarcoticscrimerose12.5%,belyingrampantmediareportsof“legalizationlinkedwitha
dropincrime.”
WWW.LEARNABOUTSAM.ORG
+26.3% +74.2%Drug/narcotics
crimeMotorvehicle
theftHomicide
Source:RockyMountainHIDTA(Sep.2015)
47OneofDenver’slower-income
neighborhoodshasonemarijuanabusinessforevery47
residents.
Source:DenverPoliceDepartment(NIBRS,accessedFebruary17,2016)
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PRIVATEEQUITYANDINSTITUTIONALCAPITALAREFLOWINGINTOMARIJUANA
Themarijuana-focusedprivateequityKirm,PrivateerHoldings,inpartnershipwiththedescendantsofBobMarley,havecreatedamultinationalcannabisbrandcalledMarleyNatural.Investorshavealreadyraised$50milliontolaunchMarleyNaturalandotherbrandedmarijuanabusinesses.Thepoliticalcampaignstolegalizemarijuanadonotmentionthesebrandedmarijuanaproducts,candies,oradvertisingpractices.
ABOUTTWO-THIRDSOFCOLORADOMUNICIPALITIESHAVEBANNEDMARIJUANA
MARIJUANAEDIBLESPOSEAPUBLICHEALTHRISK
4%
67%10%
20%
Salespermitted SalespermittedbuttaxedBanormoratorium Unknown
Source:ColoradoMunicipalitiesLeague
WWW.LEARNABOUTSAM.ORG FEBRUARY17,2016
Afull181ofColorado’s271municipalities—67%—hadbannedmarijuanaintheir
jurisdictions,orhadpassedamoratoriumonitscultivation/sale,asofApril2015.
Ediblesoftencontain3-20timestheTHCconcentrationrecommendedforintoxication.
Therehavebeenatleastthreedeathsrelatedtomarijuanaediblesthrough2015.
WhileColoradoislookingathowtocontrolthisindustry,themarijuanaindustrymarcheson-defendinggummybears,cupcakes,sugarycerealsandsodas-similartohowBigTobaccodefendedtheirpracticesforacentury.
TARGETINGCHILDREN?
Source:Fortune
Source:FoodSafetyNews;MaineAlliancetoPreventSubstanceAbuse
Tobaccoindustrymascots:JoeCamel
Marijuanaindustrymascots:“Buddie"
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66%
MARIJUANA-RELATEDHOSPITALIZATIONSHAVERISENANAVERAGEOF30%PERYEARSINCELEGALIZATION
184In2013,Denverpoliceissued184citationsforpublicdisplay
and/orconsumptionofmarijuana.
761In2015,761citationswere
issuedforpublicconsumption,a314%
increase.
Source:DenverPost;ColoradoPublicRadio
HospitalizaConsrelatedtomarijuanainColorado(COHospitalAssociaCon)
WWW.LEARNABOUTSAM.ORG FEBRUARY17,2016
MOREMARIJUANACITATIONSINDENVERAFINANCIALBOON?NOTFORGOVERNMENTS,BASEDON
THETOBACCOANDALCOHOLINDUSTRIES
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
0 4000 8000 12000
11,439
8,272
6,715
6,305
6,019
Source:RockyMountainHIDTA(Sep.2015)
COLORADOKIDSARESTILLABLETOOBTAINMARIJUANA,THROUGHTHEBLACKMARKETORFRIENDS/FAMILY
SourceofmarijuanaforColoradohighschoolstudents(schoolcounselorsurvey)
"Medical MJ" cardholders"Medical MJ" caregivers
"Medical MJ" dispensariesRetail MJ stores
Black marketParents
Other familyFriends who bought MJ legally
0% 7.5% 15% 22.5% 30%Source:RockyMountainHIDTA(Sep.2015)
Source:CDC,AmericanLungAssociation;TaxPolicyCenter
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WWW.LEARNABOUTSAM.ORG FEBRUARY17,2016
NODATA,NOCOSTACCOUNTING,NOPROBLEM?
MoresophisticateddataaresorelylackingwithrespecttomarijuanainColoradoandWashington.Real-timedataareneededonboththeconsequencesoflegalizationandtheeconomiccostsofsuchapolicy,suchas:
• Emergencyroomandhospitaladmissionsrelatedtomarijuana• Marijuanapotencyandpricetrendsinthelegalandillegalmarkets• Schoolincidentsrelatedtomarijuana,includingrepresentativedatasets• Extentofmarijuanaadvertisingtowardyouthanditsimpact• Marijuana-relatedcarcrashes,includingTHClevelsevenwhenBACisover0.08• Mentalhealtheffectsofmarijuana• Marijuanabriefinterventionandtreatmentadmissions• Costofimplementinglegalizationfromlawenforcementtoregulators• Costofmentalhealthandaddictiontreatmentrelatedtoincreasedmarijuanause• Costofneedingbutnotreceivingtreatment• Effectonthemarketforalcoholandotherdrugs• Costtoworkplaceandemployers• Impactonemployeeproductivity
SAMSCIENCEADVISORS:
• HooverAdger,MD,ProfessorofPediatricsandDirectorofAdolescentMedicine,JohnsHopkinsUniversity• EdenEvins,MD,MPH,AssociateProfessorofPsychiatry,HarvardMedicalSchool• StuartGitlow,MD,MPH,MBA,President,AmericanSocietyofAddictionMedicine• SionHarris,PhD,CenterforAdolescentSubstanceAbuseResearch,Children’sHospitalBoston• SharonLevy,MD,MPH,AssistantProfessorofPediatrics,HarvardMedicalSchool• KimberRichter,MD,PhD,ProfessorofPreventiveMedicineandPublicHealth,UniversityofKansas.• PaulaRiggs,MD,AssociateProfessorofPsychiatry,UniversityofColoradoatDenver• ChristianThurstone,MD,AssociateProfessorofPsychiatry,UniversityofColorado• KathrynWells,MD,AssociateProfessorofPediatrics,UniversityofColoradoatDenver• KrishnaUpadhya,MD,MPH,AssistantProfessorofPediatrics,JohnsHopkinsSchoolofMedicine
Comprisingthetopscientistsandthinkersinthemarijuanaresearchandpracticespace,SAMworkstobridgethegapbetweenthepublic’sunderstandingofmarijuanaandscience’sunderstandingofmarijuana.Atthelocal,state,tribal,andfederallevels,SAMseekstoalignmarijuanapolicyandattitudesaboutthedrugwith21st-centuryscience,whichcontinuestoshowhowmarijuanauseharmsthemindandbody.SAMarguesagainstextremesinmarijuanapolicy,andopposesbothincarcerationforlow-leveluseandblanketlegalization,favoringinsteadahealth-basedmarijuanapolicy.Learnmoreatwww.learnaboutsam.org.
ABOUTSMARTAPPROACHESTOMARIJUANA(SAM)
