Last Updated June 18, 2004

Medical Marijuana: Colorado allows patients to use medical marijuana if they have specified medical conditions and the advice of a physician. This law was enacted in November of 2000 after voters passed Amendment 20 to the state constitution.

Other Recent Drug Reforms: Like many Western states, Colorado is becoming a hotbed for drug policy reform. Voters in 2000 overwhelmingly approved Amendment 20 to the state's constitution, allowing medical marijuana. The vote came two years after a judge ruled a 1998 initiative ineligible for the ballot -- after the ballots had already been printed.

In 2002, the Colorado legislature approved legislation to reduce the penalties for simple possession of illegal drugs and use the savings to fund drug treatment. Unfortunately, Colorado Governor Bill Owens vetoed the bill. Twenty-three percent of Colorado's state prison population consists of non-violent drug offenders, and Colorado taxpayers spend more than a hundred million dollars a year keeping them in prison.  Although the sentencing reform would have only affected a small percentage of drug offenders, it would have saved ten million dollars over the next five years - most of which would have been used for drug treatment services.  Governor Owens, however, did sign legislation that reforms the state’s asset forfeiture laws.

In 2003, the legislature passed a bill to reduce the sentencing for offenders arrested with one gram or less of Schedule I and II drugs.  The bill was signed into law by Governor Owens despite his previous veto of a very similar bill in 2002.

Organizations and Resources in Colorado:

• Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition
• Rocky Mountain Peace & Justice Center 
• Harm Reduction Project