Millions in grant money from Colo. to fund studies on marijuana driving impairment, other subjects

DENVER – Driving impairment studies on marijuana users are among seven Colorado-based research projects granted a total of $2.35 million in public research grant money by the state Department of Public Health and Environment.

The department announced the grant money Tuesday. It will go to seven different projects undertaken by researchers at various Colorado universities to study marijuana and its effects on various groups of people.

The largest grant is for a project to study driving impairment in occasional and heavy marijuana users. The project’s leads are a University of Colorado School of Medicine researcher and an assistant professor at the Colorado School of Public Health. The project received $843,000 for its three-year expected duration.

The next-largest grant is $839,000 for three years, which was awarded to an assistant professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder to study the effects of “dabbing” on users, and includes driving impairment and cognitive functioning research.

Also funded by the grants is a study to determine how long THC remains in breast milk (2-year, $186,500); an analysis of recreational marijuana use among college students before and after legalization (2 years, $186,500); a study on usage and effects of marijuana on older Coloradans (1 year, $97,500); a study on the effects of edibles (1 year, $97,500); and a study on the cardiovascular effects of marijuana on people with cardiovascular issues (1 year, $99,000).

“This research will be invaluable in Colorado and across the country,” said Dr. Larry Wolk, department executive director and chief medical officer, in a news release. “The findings will inform our public education efforts and give people additional information they need to make decisions about marijuana use.”

The department said 58 applications were initially received for the grants.

A full list of the grants and the research projects can be seen below.