Colorado marijuana data: Fresh report looks at health effects, trends
After Colorado implemented its recreational marijuana law in 2014, one of the paramount tasks for state health officials was to monitor potential public-health outcomes.
The states first report, released in January 2015 by a panel of doctors, scientists and public health officials, contained what was effectively baseline data, state officials said at the time. It was first-of-a-kind research for a first-of-its-kind regulatory maneuver.
Now that the state has closed the book on Year Three of recreational cannabis sales, public health officials have more data under their belts.
On Tuesday, the 14-member Retail Marijuana Public Health Advisory Committee released its second set of findings via a nearly 300-page comprehensive report.
And, for the most part, there havent been any significant changes to raise the alarm bells, said panel chairman Mike Van Dyke, chief of Colorados Environmental Epidemiology, Occupational Health and Toxicology branch.
We are doing our best to study this closely and monitor whats going on, he said. While maybe not apparent from this report, we are taking this evidence base that were developing, and we are using it to develop prevention campaigns, education campaigns we are doing our best to implement an evidence-based policy.
The sweeping report delves into a plethora of state and federal data across topics such as usage rates among different populations, hospital visits, drugged driving and health effects.
A quick snapshot of the results reveal:
Weve had a pretty good history on high school use, but we didnt start asking the questions about marijuana use unfortunately until after legalization for adults, Van Dyke said.
Among the encouraging results, Van Dyke said, are findings that marijuana use among high school students is not increasing. Also encouraging are some hints that existing policy and education efforts may be working, he said.
I think that speaks to ...
