DENVER, COLORADO— Today Colorado Senate Bill 26-164, the THC Beverage Bill, was postponed indefinitely at the request of the sponsors. SB26-164 would have permitted intoxicating hemp-derived THC drinks to be sold at locations with liquor licenses, including restaurants, gas stations, and grocery stores. 

One Chance to Grow Up was strongly opposed to the bill on the grounds that this would exacerbate marijuana normalization with youth. The bill would have drastically increased the availability of THC in the state, confusing alcohol and THC regulations that were designed to be strictly separate, and could have resulted in a dangerous increase in traffic accidents and fatalities from increased drugged driving. 

“We are pleased that Senator Julie Gonzalez and Representatives Steven Woodrow and Matthew Martinez withdrew SB26-164 from consideration. This is great news for youth safety in Colorado and maintaining the legal marijuana regulations our state has put in place over the last 14 years,” said One Chance Executive Director Henny Lasley. “We are glad to see THC beverages will not be mixed with the sale of alcohol. This bill would have let these beverages– which were created through a loophole in the federal Farm Bill that has since been closed– be sold in over 13,000 locations statewide including many places where kids shop and dine.”

“Youth normalization of marijuana use is already an ongoing problem,” continued Lasley. “The Colorado Senate Finance Committee did the right thing today by accepting the request to kill the bill.”

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