John Schroyer
Missouri’s legal marijuana market hit a significant milestone last week when it surpassed $1 billion in sales since medical cannabis first launched in October 2020, boosted by recreational sales that began in February this year.
By contrast, the tiny state of Connecticut announced legal cannabis sales had slowed a bit last month from March, but sales still totaled $75.1 million for the year so far, including both recreational and medical.
Missouri
In Missouri, the $1 billion milestone was capped this year by an eye-popping $256.2 million in adult-use sales in just three months, along with another $94 million in medical sales, KOMU 8 reported, citing data from the state Division of Cannabis Regulations.
“Missouri’s newest billion-dollar industry is experiencing significant job growth, providing great products and services to Missourians, and becoming an integral part to the local economy throughout the state,” Andrew Mullins, the executive director of trade group MoCann, told KOMU 8, adding that the new adult-use market could “not have gotten off to a better start.”
The state now boasts 14,800 jobs directly in legal cannabis, KOMU 8 reported.
Connecticut
In Connecticut, total legal cannabis sales were down slightly in April, to $21.6 million from $22 million in March, according to the state Department of Consumer Protection.
Adult-use sales, which launched in January, increased slightly to $10.2 million from $9.5 million, which offset a larger drop in medical sales, to $11.4 million from $12.5 million.
