A comprehensive new report by the Centennial Institute analyzes what marijuana legalization costs Colorado taxpayers. A few highlights:
The highest costs are connected to marijuana-related ER admissions, hospitalizations, and school dropouts.
There is a connection between marijuana use and the use of alcohol and other drugs.
Calls to Poison Control increased dramatically after legalization for medical use in 2000 and recreational use in 2014.
Adult marijuana users generally have lower educational attainment than nonusers.
Some 69 percent of marijuana users say they have driven at least once under the influence of marijuana.
Some 27 percent do so on a daily basis.
In 2016, the marijuana industry used enough electricity to power 32,355 homes.
That year, the industry was responsible for 393,053 pounds of CO2 emissions.
Read full Centennial Institute report here.
The Marijuana Report is a weekly e-newsletter published by National Families in Action in partnership with SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana).
Visit National Families in Action's website, The Marijuana Report.Org, to learn more about the marijuana story unfolding across the nation.
Subscribe to The Marijuana Report e-newsletter.