Denver-based agency, Cactus, was selected by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to create the state's retail marijuana education and prevention campaign. The statewide campaign
will increase public awareness about safe, legal and responsible use of marijuana. The campaign will launch January 2015 and cost as much as $4.5 million. Under health department guidance and with
stakeholder input, Cactus will use available research to raise public awareness about marijuana laws and health effects, educate all Colorado residents about the short- and long-term health effects of
marijuana, educate parents on safe storage and the impact of secondhand marijuana smoke, and work with community partners to prevent underage use. The health department will update and maintain
colorado.gov/marijuana, the state's main marijuana Web hub, and support local marijuana education and youth prevention efforts. "All eyes are on Colorado. Everyone is watching to see how we handle
education and prevention with the state's retail marijuana law," said Joe Conrad, founder and CEO of Cactus. "We're looking forward to creating a campaign that promotes safe, legal and responsible use
of retail marijuana in an honest, compelling way that everyone can relate to, understand and embrace." The health department selected Cactus because of its experience with statewide public health
campaigns. Cactus created and implemented several statewide tobacco prevention and education campaigns, including "SmokeFreeColorado," "The Cigarette Is Dead" and "ONE Step." The agency's "Man
Therapy" campaign, targeting men with depression, was named the most innovative campaign of the year in 2013 by the Safe States Alliance
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