Crime & Public Safety
Crime & Public Safety

Colorado official: 'Marijuana is gateway drug to homicide'

What You Need To Know: Marijuana
By Joy Johnston, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
July 29, 2017

A Colorado district attorney drew attention this week after he pronounced marijuana to be a "gateway drug to homicide."

The controversial remarks made by 4th Judicial District Attorney Dan May came at a news conference Tuesday about a large black market marijuana bust in the state, KKTV reported. Thirteen people have been indicted, Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman announced.

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“Marijuana is the gateway drug to homicide in our community and across our state, and people need to start recognizing that,” May said at the news conference. He went on to say that Colorado Springs had 22 homicides in 2016, and eight were directly tied to marijuana.

In a statement, the Southern Colorado Cannabis Council called May's comments "utterly false" and "extremely dangerous." The council said numerous studies show "no correlation between cannabis use and violent crime."

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Joy Johnston, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
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