Colorado’s Marijuana Laws and Penalties
Dec 7
2015

Posted by: Jacob E. Martinez

Category: Drug Crimes | Marijuana

If you are a recreational user of marijuana, legalization probably made you stand up and cheer. Finally you could stop hiding and feeling guilty about using marijuana. If you wanted to light up on the street, you could just do it.

Wrong.

With the legalization of recreational marijuana use under Amendment 64, you may be under the impression that marijuana laws are now obsolete in Colorado. This, however, is not the case.

While the recreational use of marijuana is allowed, [...]

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Are Penalties for Drug Crimes Too Harsh?
Sep 21
2015

Posted by: Jacob E. Martinez

Category: Drug Crimes

Few would argue that the penalties for drug crimes in the US are anything but incredibly harsh. Under current Colorado and federal laws, the punishment for possessing even small amounts of illegal drugs may include prison time, staggering fines, and a lifelong criminal record. It is not uncommon for non-violent drug crimes to be penalized with lifelong prison sentences.

Current penalties are so tough that many advocates are calling for drug law reform, arguing that current laws crowd prisons and [...]

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Can You Be Fired for Failing a Drug Test?
Jun 16
2015

Posted by: Jacob E. Martinez

Category: Drug Crimes

With so few federal laws governing the use of drug tests in the workplace, it is left largely up to state legislatures to regulate employer drug testing matters. While other states have laws restricting how drug tests can be used in places of employment, Colorado has relatively few.

In our state, while there are certain laws that protect the privacy of tested employees, there are virtually no laws that protect workers from being required to take a drug test or [...]

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Colorado Marijuana Public Display and Consumption Charges Rise
Apr 27
2015

Posted by: Jacob E. Martinez

Category: Drug Crimes

Criminal justice in Colorado has undergone some drastic changes since the state legalized the recreational use and sale of marijuana in 2012.

According to a report from the Drug Policy Alliance, the number of marijuana charges for possession, distribution, and cultivation fell by 95 percent between 2010 and 2014. Possession charges dropped from 30,428 in 2010 to 1,922 in 2014, while distribution and cultivation charges have become nearly nonexistent.

However, though possession, distribution, and cultivation charges have dropped, there has [...]

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Will Governor’s Focus on Painkiller Abuse Lead to More DUIDs in Colorado?
Apr 1
2015

Posted by: Jacob E. Martinez

Category: Drug Crimes | DUI

It is no secret that all eyes have been on Colorado for its recent legalization of recreational marijuana use. Some have claimed that the problems associated with marijuana have gotten worse, while others say that things are demonstrably better now. But while the majority of people focus on this issue, behind the scenes Coloradoans have been grappling with a much more dangerous problem: the recreational—and illegal—use of painkillers.

Recently, Colorado governor John Hickenlooper announced a campaign to end this illegal [...]

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