In 2012, Colorado voters passed Amendment 64, which made the possession, consumption and retail sale of marijuana legal.

In 2013, the Steamboat Springs City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting the “open and public” consumption of marijuana.

State and local laws allow individuals ages 21 and older to possess as much as 1 ounce of marijuana in the state of Colorado. It is illegal for persons younger than 21 to consume or possess marijuana unless they have a valid medical marijuana card. The possession limit for out-of-state visitors or nonresidents of Colorado is one-quarter of an ounce.

It is unlawful to consume or openly possess marijuana on any public property. This means you cannot consume marijuana on any public street, sidewalk, park or any place of public accommodation.

It also is unlawful to consume or openly possess marijuana on any private property that is open to the public, including private businesses that are open to the public such as grocery store and hotel parking lots. Open and public does not apply to private residences or private property not open to the public. Check with your landlord, property owner or lodging property manager prior to consuming marijuana on any property not owned by you.

Marijuana still is illegal on a federal level, and it is illegal to consume marijuana on federal land, which includes Steamboat Ski Area.

Driving while stoned is absolutely against the law. Do not smoke, drink, eat or consume marijuana or THC and drive. In addition to it being illegal to drive while impaired by marijuana, in 2013, Colorado also set a “per se” limit of 5 nanograms. What this means is anyone driving with 5 nanograms or more of THC per milliliter of blood is presumed to be driving under the influence.

More information is available at http://steamboatsprings.net/index.aspx?nid=467.