Legal cannabis sales in eleven US states grew by nearly 5% from June to July this year, according to a new market analysis.
New Cannabis Ventures tracked monthly sales in eleven adult-use and medical-only states using data from cannabis data firm BDSA. This July, these states sold a combined $1.69 billion worth of legal bud, a 4.6% increase over June’s sales. But although sales are up on a monthly basis, most of these states are actually selling a lot less weed than they were last summer.
Out of these eleven states, the biggest gains were seen in relatively newer markets in the northeastern quadrant of the US. Michigan is shaping up to be one of the country’s strongest adult-use markets, with a record $210 million in sales recorded this July. This represents a 12% increase over June’s sales, and an impressive 23% year-over-year gain. The state’s legal dispensaries sold 45% more pre-rolls, 28% more concentrates, and 24% more flower than they did last July.
Neighboring Illinois sold nearly $165 million worth of adult-use and medical pot in July, 6% more than in June and 0.6% more than July 2021. Again, pre-rolls exploded in popularity, with a 31% boost in year-over-year sales, but sales of other products dropped by 2 to 5%. And on the East Coast, Massachusetts sold $158.5 million worth of legal cannabis in July, up 9% over June and 5% over last year.
Three medical-only states on the East Coast also saw significant sales growth this summer. Florida’s thriving medical marijuana market raked in $193.8 million in July, outselling every adult-use state other than California and Michigan. The Sunshine State’s medical pot sales have grown by 27% since last July, including a 23% boost in flower sales and a 39% increase in sales of concentrates.
Maryland’s modest medical market made $42 million this July, a 2.5% increase over June. Pennsylvania’s monthly total grew by 0.5% in July, just pushing past $95 million in total sales. But despite this monthly growth over the summer, each of these states has seen its market contract over the course of the year. Maryland’s monthly sales are down nearly 11% from last July, and Pennsylvania’s sales are down 13.5%.
Mature markets on the West Coast also tempered declining yearly sales with modest monthly growth. As always, California sold way more weed than any other state, raking in nearly $410 million in July. That’s a 2.2% boost over June’s sales, but a solid 10% drop compared to July 2021. Oregon sold a modest $84 million worth of weed in July, up 2% from June but down 18% from a year ago.
In the Southwest, Nevada’s July sales total almost hit $71 million, a 7% boost from June but a sizable 14% drop from last July. Arizona also reported a year-over-year sales dip of 10.5%, even though its market is relatively new. Most of this decline came from the state’s medical marijuana market, which has contracted by 33% since last July. The state’s adult-use sales actually grew by 15% over that time frame, though. All told, Arizona made $107.5 million in combined medical and recreational sales in July, up 1.4% from June.
But out of all the states that BDSA reported on, Colorado reported the largest yearly decline in sales. Centennial State dispensaries sold $156 million worth of pot in July, down 23% from last year, but nearly 7% more than they did in June.
