2022 Colorado Code
Title 18 - Criminal Code
Article 7 - Offenses Relating to Morals
Part 1 - Obscenity - Offenses
§ 18-7-101. Definitions

Universal Citation:
CO Code § 18-7-101 (2022)
Learn more This media-neutral citation is based on the American Association of Law Libraries Universal Citation Guide and is not necessarily the official citation.

As used in this part 1, unless the context otherwise requires:

  1. "Material" means anything tangible that is capable of being used or adapted to arouse interest, whether through the medium of reading, observation, sound, or in any other manner, but does not include an actual three-dimensional obscene device.

    (1.5) "Minor" means a person under eighteen years of age.

  2. "Obscene" means material or a performance that:
    1. The average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find that taken as a whole appeals to the prurient interest in sex;
    2. Depicts or describes:
      1. Patently offensive representations or descriptions of ultimate sex acts, normal or perverted, actual or simulated, including sexual intercourse, sodomy, and sexual bestiality; or
      2. Patently offensive representations or descriptions of masturbation, excretory functions, sadism, masochism, lewd exhibition of the genitals, the male or female genitals in a state of sexual stimulation or arousal, or covered male genitals in a discernibly turgid state; and
    3. Taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.
  3. "Obscene device" means a device including a dildo or artificial vagina, designed or marketed as useful primarily for the stimulation of human genital organs.
  4. "Patently offensive" means so offensive on its face as to affront current community standards of tolerance.
  5. "Performance" means a play, motion picture, dance, or other exhibition performed before an audience.
  6. "Promote" means to manufacture, issue, sell, give, provide, lend, mail, deliver, transfer, transmit, publish, distribute, circulate, disseminate, present, exhibit, or advertise, or to offer or agree to do the same.

    (6.5) "Prurient interest" means a shameful or morbid interest.

  7. "Simulated" means the explicit depiction or description of any of the types of conduct set forth in paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of this section, which creates the appearance of such conduct.
  8. "Wholesale promote" means to manufacture, issue, sell, provide, mail, deliver, transfer, transmit, publish, distribute, circulate, disseminate, or to offer or agree to do the same for purpose of resale.
  9. If any of the depictions or descriptions of sexual conduct described in this section are declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unlawfully included herein, this declaration shall not invalidate this section as to other patently offensive sexual conduct included herein.

Source: L. 81: Entire part R&RE, p. 998, § 1, effective July 1. L. 86: (2)(b)(II) and (4) amended and (6.5) added, p. 782, § 1, effective April 21. L. 94: (1.5) added, p. 1720, § 16, effective July 1.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 18-7-101 as it existed prior to 1981.

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