According to Colorado marijuana laws in force today, the usage and the possession of marijuana are legal, but only under certain very specific circumstances – here are details about purchasing, possessing and using marijuana in the Centennial State.
Purchasing Marijuana Legally
Only individuals aged 21 or older are allowed to get into any kind of contact with marijuana, purchasing included and even adults are required to produce a government-approved ID to prove their age if they want to purchase marijuana legally. It is important to note here that not only state residents can purchase marijuana legally – all the buyer needs to prove is legal age.
People aged between 18 and 21 can purchase marijuana only if they possess a medical card, also called a red card, issued only to Colorado residents suffering from medical conditions that could be ameliorated with the help of medical marijuana.
The quantity that can be purchased in one transaction is limited to one ounce (28 grams) for anyone aged 21 or older, Colorado residents and tourists alike.
Who Sells Marijuana in Colorado
Marijuana, whether for medical or for recreational purposes, is sold exclusively in specialized shops called dispensaries. Some shops sell only medical marijuana – varieties developed for ameliorating medical conditions, but having a low THC content, the ingredient that can be found in higher concentrations in recreational marijuana – while others sell only recreational weed or both types.
The shops can be different not only in terms of the selection sold, but also in terms of opening hours. The law allows marijuana vendors to stay open between 8 am and midnight, but the cities have their own laws regulating opening hours within that interval, so shops may be required to open later than 8 am and to close before midnight.
Consumption Regulations
In Colorado, marijuana cannot be consumed in open and public places, such as transportation facilities, including bus stops, trains and train stations, education institutions, venues for amusement and entertainment, playgrounds, parks, cafes on rooftops, restaurants, office buildings, theaters and cinemas, malls, streets, parks. In Denver, the consumption of marijuana is explicitly prohibited not only on the 16th Street Mall, but also on blocks in the one-block area surrounding the mall area.
The consumption of marijuana is allowed in the private space of the consumer, such as homes owned or leased, provided that their lease agreement does not explicitly forbid marijuana consumption. People who purchase Pueblo cannabis or marijuana in the state can have it be legally kept in the consumer’s car, provided that it is kept in a sealed container, but only on the territory of Colorado – you cannot take your weed to the surrounding states. It is not allowed to take marijuana out of the state on airplanes either.
The above laws are applicable not only for smoking marijuana, but also for consuming it in edible form, in cookies, biscuits or other food.
Driving Under Influence
Colorado marijuana laws consider vehicle manipulation after smoking weed to be driving under influence – the legal limit is 4 nanograms THC per milliliter of blood, THC level higher that bring about arrest for DUI.