DENVER –
Native Roots Cannabis Co., a vertically-integrated Colorado dispensary chain, is teaming up with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Colorado to promote responsibly celebrating the 4/20 holiday with several educational initiatives.
“We’re joining together to ask that everyone do their part to save lives on our roads. I know firsthand that driving under the influence can end in tragedy,” said Fran Lanzer, MADD Colorado Executive Director. “My friends John and Sarah died instant, violent deaths—all because of one person’s choice to drive after consuming cannabis. Through MADD, we know hundreds of victim and survivors whose lives have been forever changed by an impaired driving crash.”
Michelle McClenathan’s son, Mason, was a curious and compassionate 16- year-old who always went out of his way for others. On November 2, 2018, Mason was a passenger riding with a friend who had smoke cannabis. The vehicle rolled and Mason was killed.
“Please make the smart choice to plan ahead for a safe ride home each and every time,” said Michelle McClenathan.“We wish the driver that took the life of our 16-year-old son, Mason, had made the right decision. We don’t want another mother or father to feel the heartbreak we feel.”
In an effort to better understand the consumption and driving habits of its customers leading up to the annual holiday, Native Roots worked with RBI Strategies to conduct an online survey at 10 of its locations, and is sharing the results to promote safe driving practices. While the research highlights many ways that dispensary customers are being responsible, the survey results also indicate that 41% of respondents may drive while under the influence of cannabis and Native Roots is taking steps to reduce this risk.
To encourage safe choices with its customers, Native Roots is working to train all 108 budtenders across its 20 locations on CDOT’s Cannabis Impaired Driving Course. Budtenders are a trusted source of information for cannabis consumers — and educating budtenders is one of the best and most efficient ways to educate dispensary customers on the laws and dangers of driving high.
To raise safety awareness, all Native Roots purchase receipts share a safe driving message and “Safe Buds” keychains are being given to customers on Thursday, April 13. Since nearly all surveyed usually consume at home, cannabis deliveries in Denver are available free of charge Sunday, April 16, through Saturday, April 22, in honor of 4/20, a holiday that results in sales spiking by nearly 50%.
“We want to support our communities as safe places where all can thrive, which is why our team is prioritizing education to stop impaired driving,” said Liz Zukowski, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Native Roots Cannabis Co. “Regardless of substance or scenario, impaired driving is never okay. We feel a responsibility and duty to inform our customers about how cannabis can impact the body and mind, and how to make a safe transportation plan when consuming.”
According to CDOT, the number of drivers in fatal crashes testing above the 5 nanograms limit for active Delta 9-THC has increased from 50 drivers in 2020 to 79 in 2021. Prior to legalization, testing for cannabis in DUI crashes was not a standard procedure. The Colorado industry stresses that more science is required for accurate testing of cannabis intoxication and impairment.
“It’s important to remember that it just takes one driver to cause a fatal crash,” explained Darrell Lingk, director of the Highway Safety Office at CDOT. “Budtenders may be the last person a customer talks to before consuming, and this is an opportunity to encourage safe choices. No matter the amount consumed, if you feel different, you drive different. Let’s keep our roads safe for everyone by planning ahead for a sober ride when you consume cannabis.”
Where dispensary customers need to improve
41% of respondents may drive while under the influence of cannabis, with 11% indicating they were “very likely,” 8% responding “probably”, and 22% indicating that they would drive while feeling the effects of cannabis depending on the amount consumed.
Some consume while driving, with 15% opting to consume cannabis in a vehicle or on a scooter or bicycle.
Some regularly travel with drivers who are under the influence of cannabis, with 12% indicating they rode with someone who had consumed cannabis once every day or two and 10% indicating once a week.
Knowledge of the law varies. When asked, “If you fail a sobriety test after being pulled over but are under the legal limit of alcohol or cannabis, you can get a DUI. True or false?”, 76% of daily cannabis consumers answered correctly, that number dropped to 62% with less than weekly consumers.
How dispensary customers are being responsible
There is marked hesitancy of traveling with someone who has consumed cannabis. 71% of respondents indicated they “almost never” or “never” are a passenger where the driver has consumed cannabis.
Nearly all surveyed usually consume at home. Approximately 96% of respondents said they usually consume at home, with the next most popular answers being at a friend’s home (22%) or at an event (21%).
Regular cannabis consumers aren’t regular alcohol consumers. While 71% of respondents reported using cannabis products at least once a day, with one-third indicating they use cannabis products more than once a day, nearly two-thirds of the respondents indicated that they “almost never” or “never” consume alcohol and cannabis at the same time.
Note: The latest data from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice shows the most common combination of substances involved in crashes are alcohol and Delta 9-THC at 43%.
A majority abstain from driving while feeling the effects of cannabis. The data found that 59% of respondents are “not very likely” to drive a vehicle after consuming.
Less frequent cannabis users aren’t likely to drive while under the influence of cannabis. In respondents who consume once a week or less, only 2% indicated they were likely to drive a car or operate a motor vehicle while feeling the effects of cannabis.
Rather than driving, respondents use multiple modes of transportation, with 56% indicating they will ride with a friend who has not consumed or a designated driver, 43% indicating they will use a ride share service such as Uber or Lyft, and 32% indicating they will walk. One-third (33%) indicated they would go nowhere or stay at a friend’s home after consuming cannabis.
Survey Research Methodology
RBI Strategies in association with Native Roots conducted an in-store survey of Native Roots customers. The survey was conducted February 7-23, 2023, at 10 Native Roots stores across the Front Range and two mountain community stores in Colorado. Total respondents for the survey were 520; respondents had to be a Colorado resident to qualify. An online questionnaire was distributed to respondents in-store via QR code. Interviews were staggered across three dayparts (morning, afternoon, and evening). Respondents were provided an incentive of one joint to participate. The margin of error for this survey is +/- 4.2 at the 95% confidence level.
Limitations and Considerations
The data sample includes respondents at 10 Native Roots locations in Colorado and should not be extrapolated to indicate overall statewide cannabis user behavior. The significant portion of the sample from the suburbs may under-represent younger cannabis users, with 49% of users in Urban areas ages 18-29 whereas only 39% of cannabis users in the Suburbs are 18-29. The sample population also skewed heavily toward Men under 40 (43% of the total sample). Data from CDOT indicates the highest prevalence of DUI incidents involve young men.
Native Roots Cannabis Co.: Colorado’s Happy Place
Native Roots Cannabis Co. is one of Colorado’s most successful vertically integrated medical and adult-use cannabis operators. Native Roots has 20 dispensary locations across Colorado, serving thousands of adult consumers daily and the state’s largest number of registered patient members. With over a decade of experience providing cannabis to patients and adult consumers, Native Roots has won national recognition for its sustainable business practices, retail design, high-quality products and employment practices. Since 2010, Coloradans have turned to Native Roots as their trusted leader in cannabis for wellness and recreation. Native Roots offers a vast assortment of affordable products and a welcoming environment for cannabis beginners and experts alike. Rooted in the community, we are Colorado’s Happy Place. In 2022, Native Roots was named to the Civic 50, an initiative that recognizes and celebrates the 50 most community-minded companies in Colorado. To learn more about the company, visit nativerootscannabis.com. Follow Native Roots on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About CDOT
The Colorado Department of Transportation’s mission is to provide the best multi-modal transportation system that most effectively and safely moves people, goods and information. CDOT maintains more than 23,000 lane miles of highway, more than 3,400 bridges and 35 mountain passes. Our team of employees works tirelessly to reduce the rate and severity of crashes and improve the safety of all modes of transportation. CDOT leverages partnerships with a range of private and public organizations and operates Bustang, an interregional express bus service. Find more details at codot.gov.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Founded in 1980 by a mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is the nation’s largest nonprofit working to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes and prevent underage drinking. MADD has helped to save more than 400,000 lives, reduce drunk driving deaths by more than 50 percent and promote designating a non-drinking driver. MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving
calls for law enforcement support, ignition interlocks for all offenders and advanced vehicle technology. MADD has provided supportive services to nearly one million drunk and drugged driving victims and survivors at no charge through local victim advocates and the 24-Hour Victim Help Line 1-877-MADD-HELP. For more information, visit us at www.madd.org and follow MADD on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
