Colorado's excess marijuana tax revenues will go to schools' bullying prevention efforts. The money, which sums up to around $66 million, will be granted to approximately 50 schools for the 2016-2017 fiscal year.
According to the Colorado Department of Education, around $2.9 million of the extra marijuana tax revenues will serve as bullying prevention grants. The schools involved will get grants up to $40,000 annually and a specialized training from a bullying prevention coach. Bullying prevention committees composed of teachers, school staff and parents will also be formed.
The excess marijuana tax revenues were made available by Proposition BB, which allows Colorado to keep the surplus marijuana tax money, ABC affiliate Denver7 reported. Legal recreational marijuana is more profitable in the state than alcohol, according to recent figures from Colorado's Department of Revenue.
In the 2015-2016 fiscal year that ended on June 30, the state's marijuana taxes reached nearly $70 million, which is almost double than what was collected from alcohol taxes ($42 million). Colorado legalized recreational marijuana sales in 2012 via voter referendum, Time noted.
Dr. Adam Collins, CDE's bullying prevention and education grant coordinator, told Denver7 that the excess marijuana tax revenues are "a great opportunity for schools to apply and make sure the social and emotional wellness of their students is taken care of." Colorado schools can apply for the bullying prevention grant until Oct. 21.
Colorado's anti-bullying laws and policies cover cyberbullying and list the following groups: academic performance, ancestry, color, creed, disability, national origin, those in need of special education services, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation, StopBullying.gov listed. One of the state's anti-bullying efforts is Kiana's Law, which went into effect in July 2015.
The law was named after Kiana Arellano, a Douglas County high school cheerleader who attempted to kill herself via hanging in 2013 due to cyberbullying. Kiana's Law charges online bullies with misdemeanor harassment, punishable by a fine of up to $750 and/or up to six months in county jail, The Denver Channel reported.
Friends Colorado, meanwhile, is a non-profit organization that aims to prevent bullying, harassment and discrimination. The group educates and supports schools and youth sports clubs throughout the state to ensure that adolescents grow up in a comfortable, safe and secure environment.
Aside from providing education and support, Friends Colorado is also working on boosting public awareness, knowledge and engagement around bullying. Bullying is most prevalent in middle school and increases children's risks of depression, low self-esteem, poor school performance and suicide, according to StopBullying.gov.
