Why there are so many cannabis-sponsored highway miles in Colorado

Marijuana producers and dispensaries are strictly prohibited from most forms of advertising in Colorado, but a state law loophole allows them to sponsor state highway cleanups, and place their names on roadside signs.

Throughout Colorado, an estimated 51 cannabis dispensaries, cultivators, manufacturers and edible producers sponsor state roads at this time, according to the Adopt a Highway Maintenance Corporation.

While the marijuana businesses represent less than half of all organizations participating in the Clean Colorado program, the total reach of pot-sponsored roadways adds up to about 198 miles (318 kilometers), which represents 66% of the roads actively sponsored, The Denver Post reports.

"The rules governing highways signs are in a different section than rules governing the cannabis industry," said Nico Pento, government affairs director for Boulder-based Terrapin Care Station, which operates six dispensaries in the Denver metro area. "The highway signs were a loophole that was overlooked."

Original reporting at The Denver Post:
Why cannabis sponsors the cleanup of more Colorado highway miles than any other industry
[Tiney Ricciardi, The Denver Post, February 14, 2020]