Smoke and Mirrors
Colorado was the first state to legalize recreational marijuana, and it was once a model for regulation. But it has failed to keep up with other states’ safety measures, leading to an infiltration of chemically converted hemp that the state says presents “serious risks to public safety.”
Featured Posts in this Series
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Smoke and Mirrors: How Intoxicating Hemp Seeped Into the First Recreational Marijuana Market in the Country
Colorado, which once served as the model for marijuana regulation, generated billions of dollars in tax revenue while promising to keep consumers safe. Now it’s scrambling to keep harmful hemp off the shelves.
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Regulators Knew This Marijuana Product Was Harming People. It Stayed on Shelves for More Than a Year.
Colorado’s Marijuana Enforcement Division can take months or even years to issue formal safety warnings about marijuana products even when it receives reports that the products are harming people’s health, The Denver Gazette and ProPublica found.
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We Tested Vapes in Colorado for Signs of Hemp. This Is What We Found.
ProPublica and The Denver Gazette set out to test whether claims of widespread substitution of hemp for marijuana were accurate, purchasing vapes at dispensaries across the Denver area.
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In a Private Meeting, Colorado Marijuana Regulators Acknowledge the Extent of Illegal Hemp Sales
Their remarks confirm testing done by The Denver Gazette and ProPublica, which found signs of hemp in marijuana vapes sold at dispensaries. One regulator said the extent of suspicious transactions would “explode your minds.”
Series Timeline
May 15, 2026
We reported that a top Marijuana Enforcement Division official acknowledged in a meeting with industry representatives that the amount of chemically converted hemp being sold as marijuana is greater than the agency has publicly disclosed.
April 13, 2026
State regulators announced a plan to crack down on companies that illegally sell cheaper and potentially hazardous hemp products as marijuana, citing potential tax avoidance and “serious risks to public safety.”
Feb. 6, 2026
Colorado regulators discussed a proposal to do away with the current testing system that allows marijuana manufacturers to choose their own samples. Instead, independent labs or contractors would collect the samples.
Jan. 29, 2026
The Denver Gazette and ProPublica reported that intoxicating hemp has seeped into Colorado’s marijuana market because the state had failed to adopt safety measures. Tests found signs of hemp in vapes sold at marijuana dispensaries.
May 14, 2021
After hemp companies figured out how to convert CBD into the high-inducing compound THC, Colorado became one of the first states to ban chemically converted hemp products, first with regulatory advisories and then with legislation.
Dec. 20, 2018
President Donald Trump signed the Farm Bill, which legalizes hemp. Congress’ intent was to help farmers along with people who believe hemp’s high levels of the nonintoxicating compound CBD can help with seizures, pain and sleep.
Jan. 1, 2014
Colorado became the first state to allow retail sales of marijuana for recreational use.
7 stories published since 2026
