Public Health in the Rockies 2026

Colorado’s evolving cannabis landscape has created significant challenges for public health surveillance, clinical assessment, and research translation. Despite increasing product potency and diversification, including concentrates, edibles, and vaporized products, many healthcare systems continue to rely on binary or frequency-only cannabis screening approaches that provide limited insight into real-world exposure patterns. This session presents the Pueblo Cannabis Use Measurement Initiative (PCUMI), a developing public health and clinical research framework designed to improve cannabis exposure characterization by integrating quantity, potency, and route of administration into standardized exposure classifications. The project directly aligns with the 2026 PHiR theme, Stronger Together, by highlighting collaborative partnerships among healthcare systems, public health agencies, academic researchers, and community stakeholders working to strengthen Colorado’s public health infrastructure.

Methods include a systematic review and adaptation of existing cannabis-use instruments, the development of structured exposure categories aligned with Colorado product-labeling norms, and pilot planning for implementation in emergency and behavioral health settings in Pueblo County. Planned procedures include clinician feedback, workflow assessment, and evaluation of feasibility indicators such as completion rates, participant comprehension, item-level missingness, and integration into electronic health record systems.

Preliminary development findings suggest substantial gaps in current cannabis-use documentation practices, particularly regarding potency and mode of administration. Early framework development demonstrates the feasibility of a scalable, clinically interpretable measurement approach capable of supporting more consistent data collection across healthcare environments.

Participants will compare traditional cannabis-use screening approaches with dose-centered frameworks, assess how standardized exposure classifications may improve clinical documentation and public health surveillance, and evaluate the broader implications of increasing cannabis potency and product diversification in Colorado. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for improving cannabis-related public health data collection, strengthening translational research capacity, and supporting more informed public health decision-making across Colorado health systems.