A college student visiting Denver jumped to his death from a hotel balcony after eating marijuana-infused cookies, according to a coroner's report that marks the first time authorities have publicly linked a death to marijuana since legal sales of recreational cannabis began in Colorado.
Levy Thamba, a 19-year-old student at Northwest College in Powell, Wyo., died last month at a Holiday Inn in northeast Denver. On Wednesday, the Denver coroner released a report concluding that Thamba's death was caused by "multiple injuries due to a fall from height."
The coroner also listed "marijuana intoxication" from cannabis-infused cookies as a significant condition contributing to the death. The report classifies the death as an accident.
A brief summary of the investigation that was included in the autopsy report says Thamba, also known as Levi Thamba Pongi, traveled to Denver with three friends on spring break. On March 11, the report says, Thamba consumed "marijuana cookies" and "soon thereafter exhibited hostile behavior (pulling items off the walls) and spoke erratically."
"The decedent's friends attempted to calm him down and were temporarily successful," the report states.
"However, the decedent eventually reportedly jumped out of bed, went outside the hotel room, and jumped over the balcony railing."
Thamba and his friends were staying on the hotel's fourth floor, according to the report.
Michelle Weiss-Samaras, a spokeswoman for the coroner's office, said the office often lists alcohol intoxication as a significant contributing factor in a death — for instance, in an alcohol-related car accident. She said the office also has seen cases involving apparent marijuana-impaired driving, but she said she believes this is the first time it has listed marijuana intoxication from an edible product in such a way.
The Cannabist
Colorado Marijuana News Site
More Denver Post marijuana coverage at The Cannabist
See a map of Colorado's recreational marijuana shops
Recent Cannabist news
Welcome to Denver: Visitors’ 4/20 cheat sheet
Five pot stocks to watch, per 420 Investor guru Alan Brochstein (interview)
Relatively “old-school” Arizer Solo ably gets job done (review)
Weiss-Samaras said Thamba had no known physical or mental-health issues, and toxicology tests for other drugs or alcohol came back negative.
"We have no history of any other issues until he eats a marijuana cookie and becomes erratic and this happens," she said. "It's the one thing we have that's significant."
According to the autopsy report, Thamba's marijuana concentration in his blood was 7.2 nanograms of active THC per milliliter of blood. In impaired driving cases, state law sets a standard of 5 nanograms per milliliter at which juries can presume impairment.
Read more: Denver coroner: Man fell to death after eating marijuana cookies - The Denver Post
Denver coroner: Man fell to death after eating marijuana cookies - The Denver Post
Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content:
Terms of Use - The Denver Post
Follow us: @Denverpost on Twitter | Denverpost on Facebook
Bookmarks