Smoke and Mirrors
Inside Colorado’s Troubled Marijuana Market
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.”
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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.
5 stories published since 2026
