Regulated cannabis dispensaries have racked up more than $2 billion in adult-use cannabis sales in Massachusetts, state authorities said on Wednesday. This comes in less than three years after the first licensed recreational marijuana retailers opened their doors.
According to the state Cannabis Control Commission (CCC), sales had hit $2,009,007,478 by the end of business Tuesday.
The executive director of the Massachusetts CCC, Shawn Collins reportedly said, “This milestone speaks to the success of licensees that have interacted with the Commission from the application stage, maintained compliance with our strict regulations and contribute every day to communities across the Commonwealth.”
There are now 165 cannabis shops in Massachusetts, as well as three delivery companies. In November 2018, Massachusetts became the first state on the East Coast to allow adult-use Cannabis shops.
On November 3, 2020, licensed adult-use cannabis sales had surpassed $1 billion for the first time in Massachusetts. 33 marijuana shops made $393.7 million in gross sales within the first year of legalized sales from November 2018 to November 2019. The agency recorded $444.9 million in sales for the whole calendar year of 2019.
Adult-use marijuana stores were closed down for two months after the COVID-19 epidemic began in 2020. Regardless of the shutdown, 89 shops earned $714.1 million in sales between November 2019 and November 2020.
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker declared recreational cannabis shops to be non-essential companies, ordering their closure in March 2020 and allowing them to reopen in May of the same year.
According to the commission, sales of $844 million were recorded since January 1, making 2021 a record-breaking sales year so far.
The Cannabis Control Commission marks its fourth year in business
The Cannabis Control Commission also highlighted that it was four years ago on Wednesday that the organization was established after recreational cannabis was legalized by voters in 2016. With the passing of a ballot initiative in 2012, Massachusetts emerged as the 18th state to legalize medicinal marijuana.
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“As the Commission reflects on our four years of work, I hope the Commonwealth is proud of the agency we have built and the new industry that has been introduced and established,” said Collins.
The CCC has authorized further 163 stores that have either started off or are in the process of doing so after the first authorized recreational pot sellers started their operations in 2018.
The agency has given its approval to a record 908 marijuana businesses, including growers, processors, transporters, merchants, and more.
In 2021, Massachusetts will have five independent testing labs, up from three in 2017.
This year, recreational marijuana began to be delivered to customers’ homes. As of now, the commission has given final permission to two marijuana couriers, issued provisional permits to ten others, and is reviewing and approving seven more.
A delivery authorization has also been given to one cannabis microbusiness, enabling it to transport its own goods straight to clients’ homes.
The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission’s open data platform contains more information on the state’s recreational and medicinal marijuana programs.
