In response to the legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado, CDOT launched Drive High, Get a DUI—a public outreach and education campaign to raise awareness about the dangers and laws surrounding driving while under the influence of cannabis.
People continue to die on Colorado roads due to impaired driving, and CDOT hopes this campaign will communicate three main ideas to cannabis consumers and the general public: driving high is illegal, driving high is dangerous, and plan ahead to find a sober ride.
Campaign materials available here to view and download.
Driving High is Dangerous
Cannabis, just like alcohol, has measurable physiological effects that impair your ability to drive and react quickly in critical situations. Marijuana affects reaction time, short-term memory, hand-eye coordination, concentration, and perception of time and distance. Even if you think you’re a better driver when you’re high…you’re not.
Driving High is Illegal
Consuming any amount of marijuana before or during driving will put you at risk for DUI. A DUI can cost you more than $13,500, in addition to jail time.
Driving high is a prosecutable offense — even if you have a prescription.
Wait until you’re home; it’s illegal to use marijuana anywhere in public, including your vehicle. All cannabis products must be in a sealed container and away from the driver area.
As with alcohol, there is an established impairment level in Colorado: five nanograms of active tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—the active psychoactive component of marijuana—per milliliter of whole blood.
For more information, visit our frequently asked questions about the law and driving page.
Use the quick links on this page to get more information on the drugged driving campaign in Colorado.
Colorado Drugged Driving at a Glance – 2016:
One-third of fatalities involved an impaired driver. That’s 196 fatalities.
More than 17 percent of all DUI arrests from the Colorado State Patrol in 2016 involved marijuana.
According to a 2016 survey conducted by CDOT, 55 percent of marijuana users said they believed it was safe to drive under the influence of marijuana.
See more drugged driving statistics.
The state of Colorado does not have an administrative license revocation tied to drug testing. That is, in cases where the driver complied with the testing process, only the presence of B.A.C. will result in a revocation independent of any restraint associated with conviction on criminal charges.
The independent administrative license revocation tied to a refusal, however, attends regardless of the suspected underlying inebriant.
The driver license consequences following conviction for DUI or DWAI are the same regardless of the inebriant, i.e. drug or alcohol.
- DUI – applicable substances:
- Any drug means a drug defined in C.R.S.A. § 27-80-203(13), a controlled substance defined in C.R.S.A. § 18-18-102(5), and any inhaled glue, aerosol, or other toxic vapor or vapors. C.R.S.A. § 42-4-1301(1)(d). DUI – affirmative defense None. The fact that a person charged is entitled to use one or more drugs under Colorado law, “including, but not limited to, the medical use of marijuana” does not constitute a defense. C.R.S.A. § 42-4-1301(e).
