CO Marijuana DUIs Drop 33%, But Officials Still Concerned

The number of citations for driving while under the influence of marijuana in Colorado dropped by 33.2% in the first quarter of 2017 compared with the same period last year, but the number of people using marijuana and then driving continues to be a concern for Colorado officials, reports the Denver Post .

“We’re still troubled by the fact that marijuana users are still telling us they routinely drive high,” Colorado Department of Transportation spokesman Sam Cole said Monday. “We’re pleased with the awareness, but we’re not so pleased with the behaviors that are actually happening.”

Cole said that in a survey conducted by CDOT, 55% of marijuana users said they believed it was safe to drive while under the influence. So three years ago when recreational marijuana was legalized, according to Cole, CDOT launched the “Drive High, Get a DUI” campaign to raise awareness that driving while stoned was illegal.

With 4/20 just around the corner and thousands of marijuana users planning to commemorate the day in downtown Denver, CDOT, Colorado State Patrol, and other organizations are encouraging people to have a fun, but safe celebration.