When Colorado legalized the adult recreational use of marijuana, some people across the state started to assume that they couldn’t get in trouble for marijuana. However, Colorado law enforcement officers have never stopped arresting and charging people over marijuana offenses. The reasons that they charge people have simply changed.
People now need to have substantially more marijuana in their possession to run afoul of state laws. However, the complacency that comes with legalization could mean that more people break the law because they think that police won’t bother to enforce it. Too many people also assume that legalization in one state will protect them in other places.
One of the riskiest things you could possibly do with legal marijuana purchased in Colorado is to take it in your car and drive out of state.
You could face trafficking charges even if you don’t intend to sell the marijuana
When you cross or attempt to cross state lines with a controlled or prohibited substance in your vehicle, the very act of going from one state to the other constitutes interstate trafficking. It does not matter that the marijuana was legal to purchase, possess and use in Colorado. What matters is that you took it from one state to another.
You might face Colorado state drug trafficking charges for trying to leave Colorado with marijuana in your vehicle. Even worse, federal law enforcement and courts could get involved in the case. Drug trafficking charges could mean prison time and a lifelong criminal record, so anyone facing charges will want to explore their options for fighting them.
