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Colorado Boasts More Cannabis Dispensaries Than Starbucks Outlets

Written by Corre Addam

For the third year on a row, Colorado is proud to boast that it has more medical cannabis dispensaries than Starbucks branches, and the same applies to McDonald’s outlets!

While most cities across North America seemingly have a Starbucks or fast food outlet on every street corner, Colorado is one State where you’ll find more medical and recreational cannabis dispensaries than anything else.

The report, out of Rocky Mountain High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (RMHIDTA), noted that, despite various restrictions, Colorado has 491 cannabis dispensaries, in some cases, nine times the amount of Starbucks or McDonald’s stores.

The RMHIDTA also found some other interesting statistics regarding cannabis in Colorado. For a start, the report found that the youth of Colorado consume more cannabis than the national average, and college students there ranked second nationally. That said, the report found, only a mere 6 percent of Coloradan adults use cannabis, with only half of that figure reporting regular daily use.

And with all those dispensaries you might think that the cannabis black market in Colorado is dead, but you’d be wrong. In fact, in 2016, cops seized 3.5 tons of cannabis from dealers, and an amazing 984 pounds from Colorado’s postal system. Sadly, the report also noted that traffic accidents in the state have spiked since legalization, with traffic deaths under the influence of cannabis standing at between 60 and 95 annually.

While the RMHIDTA report isn’t all good news, it does feature some positive highlights, mainly pointing to the fact that on the whole, cannabis legalization in the state has been a success overall, as it has reduced opioid abuse there, and generated millions of extra dollars annually at the State level.

While it remains to be seen what the 2017 statistics will bring, it is certain that cannabis legalization in Colorado has been a great thing for many, and people from other states are hoping they will get a slice of that action soon.

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About the author

Corre Addam

Addam spends the lion's share of his day fixated on his computer screen. When he isn't in front of his computer, you'll most likely find him editing or researching his next fascinating article on his smartphone or tablet. When he manages to pull himself away from technology, you'll find him chilling hard somewhere, probably under a tree with an ice-cold Iced-tea, pondering life...