Health Data

The Cannabis Health Monitoring Program at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) is tasked with collecting data to monitor cannabis related health effects and cannabis use/consumption trends per 25-1.5-110 C.R.S. The program  has worked with our partners to explore data sources that contain information relevant to cannabis use/consumption and health effects surveillance. Cannabis use/consumption in Colorado is determined using data from population-based surveys and surveillance of health effects is determined using data from health incident databases. Below is a brief description of each data source we use by topic area. Scroll down and click on each data source to explore the data in detail.

► Cannabis Use/consumption

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS)

CDPHE’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) is an annual telephone survey of Colorado adults ages 18 years and older. BRFSS asks survey participants questions about recent marijuana use, consumption patterns (frequency and methods of use), and perceptions of marijuana.

Healthy Kids Colorado Survey (HKCS)

CDPHE’s Healthy Kids Colorado Survey (HKCS) is a biennial survey administered in participating high school and middle schools in Colorado. HKCS asks students questions about recent cannabis use patterns (frequency and methods of use), and perceptions of cannabis.

Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS)

CDPHE’s Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) is a one-time survey delivered by mail or phone to women who recently had a live birth in Colorado. PRAMS asks questions to women about cannabis use/consumption before, during, and postpartum.

► Health Effects

The Colorado Hospital Association

CDPHE conducts surveillance of marijuana-related health events through discharges containing at least one cannabis-related billing code. The Colorado Hospital Association (CHA) collects data on hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) discharges from participating hospitals in the state of Colorado.

CDPHE conducts surveillance of cannabis-related health events through calls voluntarily made to Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Safety (RMPDS). RMPDS serves as the regional poison center for Colorado and used by the general public and medical professionals seeking advice on exposures or to report adverse events.

► Postmortem Toxicology

CDPHE conducts surveillance of postmortem toxicology results for non-natural, non-homicide deaths in Colorado residents under the age of 25. This data comes from Colorado death certificate data, the State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS) and the Colorado Violent Death Reporting System (CoVDRS).