Want To Know More About Pot In Colorado? Find Answers Online
DENVER (CBS4)- Retail pot sales are booming in Colorado but not everyone knows what the laws are surrounding legalized marijuana. Now there's a website dedicated to answering your questions.
"If you could smoke it in public, something like that," said one Denver resident.
"I'd want to know the potency of different products if I was buying one," said another.
The official State of Colorado website for marijuana information and resources colorado.gov/marijuana went online on Thursday. It includes answers about the legalization of retail marijuana and the health impacts related to marijuana use.
Legalized pot sales began in Colorado on January 1.
On the website there is a heavy emphasis on protecting children.
"The harmful impact on the growing and developing brain of a teen or a child as well as the health effects," said Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment spokesman Dr. Larry Wolk.
Wolk said children especially need to be educated. The website will answer any and all pot-related questions from protecting children to edibles to getting behind the wheel.
Some of the questions on the site include:
- What are the long-term health impacts of marijuana use?
- Is marijuana more harmful to adolescents than adults?
- Is it legal to consume marijuana in public places?
- Can a person be charged for driving under the influence of marijuana?
- Is it safe to eat or drink marijuana-infused products?
- How do I talk to my child about marijuana?
"Legal information, medical information, everything related to the Colorado Department of Health," said Wolk.
He said for juveniles especially, pot can seriously affect their lungs, heart and mental health.
There is another side to the campaign in addition to the website; commercials. The commercials are produced to be purposely edgy to connect with the younger generation.
The Colorado Department of Health asked for $3.7 million from the pot tax revenue to pay for the campaign and keep the website up to date with current research and educational materials.
Wolk believes it's money well spent, "The bottom line message is number one, it's illegal and number two, it really is harmful to your health as a child or teenager."
