7 Harmful Side Effects Pot Legalization Caused Colorado

The Daily Signal ^ | 8/20/2014 | Cully Stimson

[DouglasKC]

SNIP

As I reported a few weeks ago, some professors published a peer-reviewed article on the negative social costs to outright legalization. I noted that although overall traffic fatalities in Colorado have gone down since 2007, they went up by 100 percent for operators testing positive for marijuana—from 39 in 2007 to 78 in 2012. (Colorado legalized marijuana for medical usage in 2009, before legalizing marijuana for other uses in 2012.) Furthermore, in 2007, those pot-positive drivers represented only 7 percent of total fatalities in Colorado, but in 2012 they represented 16 percent of total Colorado fatalities.

This new report paints an even bleaker picture of what is happening in Colorado since it legalized the possession, sale, and consumption of marijuana.

SNIP

1. The majority of DUI drug arrests involve marijuana and 25 to 40 percent were marijuana alone.

2. In 2012, 10.47 percent of Colorado youth ages 12 to 17 were considered current marijuana users compared to 7.55 percent nationally. Colorado ranked fourth in the nation, and was 39 percent higher than the national average.

3. Drug-related student suspensions/expulsions increased 32 percent from school years 2008-09 through 2012-13, the vast majority were for marijuana violations.

4. In 2012, 26.81 percent of college age students were considered current marijuana users compared to 18.89 percent nationally, which ranks Colorado third in the nation and 42 percent above the national average.

5. In 2013, 48.4 percent of Denver adult arrestees tested positive for marijuana, which is a 16 percent increase from 2008.

6. From 2011 through 2013 there was a 57 percent increase in marijuana-related emergency room visits.

7. Hospitalizations related to marijuana has increased 82 percent since 2008.

[Usagi_yo]

+1 for serendipitous.

[grania]

I’m not complaining. I’m actually really glad that pot smokers fought for and won the right to pay taxes and be regulatated by the gov.

[newnhdad]

because, because, because duuuuuuddde, stop harshing the buzz with facts man... like, I like pot, I want pot, therefore it should be legal, man. it’s like great and cures like, everything and is like 1000% non addictive..

[newnhdad]

so, in 72 hours, the hoards start looking for food and they smell dope and see you with “copious amounts” of weed... how long will a burned out stoner last against a few dozen “Gentle Giants” bearing guns and attitude?

yeah, 73 hours and you’ll be a memory while the gentle giants smoke your weed.

[elcid1970]

Tell me about it!

Heading southbound on I-95, I have had to swerve or stand on the brakes when some doofus is mellowing out at around 50 mph.

Moments like that I wish the cops had traveling urinalysis labs, like pull over and p** in the bottle right here right now!

I suggested this to a North Carolina judge & she laughed & said the state highway patrol would go on strike if they were ordered to do such on the interstate.

[MaxMax]

So, those who do not support your agenda must be insulted?

[Usagi_yo]

No, the church of the subgenius accepts all.

[catnipman]

“Drunken drivers do the same thing.”

That’s comforting.

[ConservingFreedom]

These stats are awesome,

Unfortunately every single one of them predates the actual legalization, which did not take effect until 1/1/14.

The title of the article is simply wrong.

LMAO! Another Drug Warrior conniption fizzles in the face of facts.

[jmacusa]

All due respect but have you lead a sheltered life? In advocating for the legalization of marijuana I state unequivocally there should be the same penalties for driving under the influence of it or providing it to minors.

[catnipman]

“All due respect but have you lead a sheltered life? “

Sheltered from what?

[jmacusa]

Sheltered from the reality that people who drink too much or very little and drive cause horrific accidents everyday, day in day out and that no amount of education, incarceration,or prohibition will ever prevent people of high IQ or low brow from doing stupid and reckless things and that to lay the blame for such aberrations of human behavior entirely on people who smoke pot and drive to the exclusion of those who drink is not only silly but hypocritical. I no longer drink or smoke marijuana(24 years sober) and it's only by the grace of God that I didn't kill myself or someone else ever time I engaged in careless and reckless behavior and got behind the wheel. That said I believe marijuana , in fact all drugs should be legal and their manufacture ,sale and distribution should be in the hands of private enterprise, not unlicensed , unregulated amateurs but someone like RJ Reynolds or Seagrams. And most certainly not in the hands of murderous criminals who control and profit from it now. Apply the same penalties, fines, jail sentences that apply to alcohol i.e driving under the influence, providing it minor, etc. For one hundred years the US government has been fighting a drug war and there is no victory insight nor will there ever be.

[catnipman]

“Sheltered from the reality that people who drink too much or very little and drive cause horrific accidents everyday”

Why, no, I think I already knew that.

[jmacusa]

My apologies then for my presumptions.

[IDFbunny]

Highway deaths have gone done despite the dire warnings of the drug war ninnies. Who’s making excuses?

[MaxMax]

Who the hell gives a damn. All you PotHeads are a stain on society.
Coming here spouting your BS is an insult to Conservatism.
Go back to your Libertarian cesspool.

[IDFbunny]

It’s fascists like you we have the War on Drugs, the War on Terror, the Patriot Act, and now NDAA. Thanks for trashing the constitution for your war on pot.

[MaxMax]

Fascist because your spoiled and want to waste lives by promoting Pot? Grow up.
All the PotHeads are to damn stupid to realize that this agenda is to dumb down
the population and is supported by Libtards, Socialists and Communists.
Grats, you've taken up their cause on a Conservative site.

A. DUI is down: Yay, it's because pot is legal
B. DUI is up: This has nothing to do with Pot, shut up!

A. Crime is down: Yay, it's because pot is legal
B. Crime is up: This has nothing to do with pot, shut up!

A. Cancer is down: Yay, it's because pot is legal
B. Cancer is up: This has nothing to do with Pot, shut up!

A. Fast food sales are up: Yay, it's because pot is legal
B. Fast food sales are grim: This has nothing to do with pot, Shut up!

Idiots..