Missouri cannabis sales closing in on $100 million monthly

Missouri's Marijuana Legalization Initiative made sales of adult-use marijuana legal early in 2023 and, since then, revenues for recreational marijuana have soared from $71.7 million in February to $97 million in August, the last month for which the state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has made data available.

Adult-use sales trajectory has followed a notably upward track, while medical marijuana sales have somewhat waned.

• February: $102.9 million total (medical, $31.2 million; adult-use, $71.7 million);
• March: $126.2 million total (medical, $32.7 million; adult use, $93.5 million);
• April: $121.1 million total (medical, $30.1 million; adult use, $91 million);
• May: $120.9 million total (medical, $28.3 million; adult use, $92.6 million);
• June: $121.2 million total (medical, $26 million; adult use $95.2 million):
• July: $123.2 million total (medical, $24.5 million; adult use $98.7 million);
• August: $119 million total (medical, $22 million; adult use $97 million).

In December and January, only medical marijuana sales were permitted in Missouri, with sales of $40.7 million and $37 million, respectively.

History

Missouri voters made the Show Me State the nation's 21st to OK the sale of adult use, also known as recreational, marijuana.

The statewide vote Nov. 8 to approve Amendment 3 was 53% to 47%. In Cape Girardeau County, the referendum failed on a 56% to 44% vote.

Amendment 3 additionally created a licensing program for who can legally sell or grow weed and launched a system to expunge the criminal records of people with past non-violent weed charges.

Four years earlier, in November 2018, state voters approved access to medical marijuana, allowing patients with cancer, HIV, epilepsy and other conditions access to the drug.

Dispensaries

According to an updated Oct. 6 list from DHSS, more than 220 locations are currently listed as licensed marijuana dispensaries in the state.

Among the list are seven dispensaries in Cape Girardeau County.