The death of an international exchange student who fell off a balcony in Colorado after eating a marijuana cookie is the first reported death linked to marijuana since the state legalized recreational use in January.

Originally from the Republic of Congo in Africa, 19-year-old Levy Thamba died after consuming a pot cookie and falling off a Denver hotel balcony on March 11, WTVQ-TV reported. He began attending Northwest College in Wyoming at the beginning of the year, but apparently traveled to Denver where marijuana is legal during spring break.

In addition to suffering trauma from the impact of the fall, the medical examiner's office lists "marijuana intoxication" as a contributing factor in his death, reports ABC affiliate WHAM. The incident was also ruled an accident.

Michelle Weiss-Samaras, a spokeswoman for Denver's Office of the Medical Examiner, admitted that the role of marijuana in Thamba's death was "a little unique" but claimed "that's all we had. He was fine, he was normal, he was an easy-going kid, and then he ate this cookie and went over the balcony. And this was not a kid who was suicidal."

Thamba was studying engineering and mathematics and was described as a socially active student.

"His social life showed that he was a very nice person," said Emelee Volden, intercultural program manager at Northwest College, according to the Powell Tribune. "He made a lot of friends in a short amount of time." She added that "it was very apparent that he was a stellar student."