Changes/Challenges in Reaction to Marijuana Legalization & Decriminalization

In the wake of legalizing marijuana for recreational use, Colorado has taken steps to define what constitutes driving under the drug’s influence. As of May, drivers with 5 nanograms of THC per milliliter of blood in their system will be considered impaired and treated the same as a drunk driver. Washington State, the only other state at this time that has legalized the recreational use of marijuana, has established the same limit.

Both states are also taking a step back to look at their K-9 units. Due to concerns regarding the violation of citizens’ rights, law enforcement in Colorado and Washington have stopped training drug-sniffing dogs to identify the presence of marijuana. Dogs already in service that were trained to find the drug are being retired.

Additionally, the two states are working to establish health and safety rules in the absence of the federal government’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversight. This includes exploring ways to avert potential issues in cultivation such as mites, mold and pesticide residue as well as E. coli and salmonella. At this time neither of the states’ laws contain particular guidelines for health issues related to marijuana production.