John Schroyer
Arizona marijuana sales remained down for the year in September and August, after first entering a slump over the summer, but appeared to be stabilizing.
Overall cannabis sales for the state surpassed the $1 billion sales mark for the year two months ago.
Recreational cannabis companies in September sold $78 million, while medical sales reached $26.9 million. In August, adult use sales were $79.4 million, while medical hit $28.6 million, according to figures from the state Department of Revenue, which typically adjusts its reported sales numbers over time, the Arizona Mirror reported.
The Mirror tallied that with both medical and recreational sales combined, Arizona’s sold nearly $1.1 billion in cannabis thus far in 2023. That’s out of a total $3.7 billion in cannabis the state has sold since January 2021, including $2.2 billion in recreational and $1.5 billion in medical.
Both the most recent months were up noticeably from July’s adjusted recreational sales total of $75.5 million, though down from the $81 million in June. Medical sales by contrast held steady in August but declined in September.
Still, the latest sales totals are nowhere near the peak of March, when recreational sales were $93.2 million and medical sales $33.7 million. The last time medical sales were above $30 million was in May, and recreational has been below $80 million since June.
Historically, Arizona cannabis companies have reason for optimism heading into the holiday season, as there have been noticeable sales upticks the prior two Decembers. In 2021, recreational sales shot from $59.3 million in November to $71.1 million the next month, and in 2022, adult-use sales went from $79.4 million to $87.6 million in the same period.
