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Colorado Will Use Extra Marijuana Revenue to Prevent Bullying in Schools

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Marijuana Growing At Los Suenos Farms As Colorado's $1-Billion Pot Industry Saves Towns
Marijuana plants grow in a greenhouse at the Los Suenos Farms facility in Avondale, Colorado, U.S., on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016. About 938 dispensaries, which outnumber Starbucks in Colorado, in 2015 yielded $135 million in state taxes and fees, 44 percent more than a year earlier. Yet as the market enters its third year after voters legalized retail sales in 2012, officials question whether the newfound income outweighs the escalating social costs. Photographer: Matthew Staver/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesBloomberg—Bloomberg via Getty Images
By Mahita Gajanan

Colorado plans to distribute millions of dollars in surplus marijuana tax revenues to schools in an effort to prevent bullying.

The money, totaling about $66 million, is available due to Proposition BB, which permits the state to keep the surplus tax revenues from marijuana, Denver7, an ABC affiliate, reported.

About $2.9 million of the surplus funds will go toward bullying prevention grants offered to approximately 50 schools by the Colorado Department of Education for the 2016-2017 fiscal year, the CDE announced. The schools will receive grants up to $40,000 per year for bullying prevention.

Schools that receive the grant will get specialized training from a prevention coach and form a bullying prevention committee including teachers, staff and parents.

“It’s a lot of money,” Dr. Adam Collins, bullying prevention and education grant coordinator for the CDE, told Denver7. “It’s a great opportunity for schools to apply and make sure the social and emotional wellness of their students is taken care of.”

Colorado schools have until Oct. 21 to apply for the grant.

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Write to Mahita Gajanan at mahita.gajanan@time.com