Marijuana is flying off the shelves in Illinois and Missouri. Check out sales numbers

Legalized recreational marijuana use remains relatively new in Illinois and Missouri, but recent data suggest both states could grow accustomed to the newfound revenue stream.

Adult-use cannabis sales are growing stronger by the month in the Land of Lincoln, while its southwestern neighbor is already observing a healthy market for marijuana products following just one month of legalization.

Here’s what the data show for the recreational marijuana market in the metro-east and beyond.

Illinois sales show steady growth

Passage of the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act in 2019 legalized recreational marijuana use in Illinois starting Jan. 1, 2020. Since then, adult-use cannabis products have steadily sold across the state while cultivating a growing market.

In January 2020, the state’s first month with full legalization, recreational cannabis sales accounted for nearly $39.3 million in Illinois, excluding taxes collected by the state government. That number generally grew with each subsequent month, totaling $669.1 million by the end of the year, according to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

Recreational marijuana purchases in 2021 more than doubled the previous year’s figures, accounting for about $1.38 billion in total sales. The total items sold in 2021 (30,342,937) outpaced 2020’s sum (14,485,704) by nearly 110%.

Growth in 2022 slowed a bit from 2021’s massive gains, but Illinois’ market remained active with a 12% increase from the previous year. The state recorded approximately $1.55 billion in sales by selling 36,435,129 items in 2022.

“When I signed the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act into law in 2019, we set out on an ambitious goal: to create the most equitable and economically prosperous cannabis industry in the nation,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement in early January. “Our data from 2022 shows that we are well on our way towards making that idea a reality.”

Notably, December appears to be the most popular month for adult-use cannabis product sales in Illinois. The final month of the year produced the highest number of items sold and the largest sales total in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Those figures peaked in December 2022, when 3,446,978 products tallied $143.9 million in sales.

In a statement, Illinois officials attributed the state cannabis market’s growth to an increasing number of licensed dispensaries. The IDFPR opened applications for the next round of cannabis dispensary licenses in late January — a move state officials expect will help the market continue growing in 2023 and beyond.

“[2022] marks the second straight year that Illinois’ adult-use cannabis industry has seen record-setting growth, and we are excited for what the future holds for the most equitable cannabis industry in the country,” IDFPR Secretary Mario Treto Jr. said in a statement. “We are optimistic the industry will only continue to flourish in 2023 as we welcome more dispensaries to Illinois.”

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Recreational marijuana sales are off to a steady start in 2023. Illinois cashed in with more than $127.9 million in sales this past January, followed by an additional $120.5 million for February. Combined, January and February’s roughly $248.4 million in adult-use cannabis sales outperforms the first two months of any year since Illinois legalized recreational marijuana use.

A good portion of total sales come from out-of-state visitors, IDFPR data indicate. Non-Illinois residents accounted for approximately 25.8% of total sales dollars in 2020, and that figure grew to 31.6% in 2021 before dropping a bit to 30.9% in 2022. Out-of-state sales made up roughly 28.2% of all sales this January and 25.8% of all sales in February.

Anyone ages 21 and older can purchase cannabis products in Illinois, though there are cumulative possession limits in place. Illinois residents may legally possess 30 grams, or about 1 ounce, of cannabis flower, 500 milligrams of THC in a cannabis-infused product and 5 grams of cannabis concentrate. Non-residents in Illinois can legally possess up to half of those amounts.

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Missouri is off to a strong start

Narrowly legalized by Missouri voters in November 2022, adult-use cannabis hit local markets in early February and is already taking hold in the Show Me State.

Missouri recorded approximately $71.7 million in recreational marijuana sales in February, according to the state’s Department of Health and Senior Services. That figure comes in addition to $31.2 million in medical-use marijuana products sold to eligible patients.

According to state data, nearly 18% of February’s adult-use cannabis sales occurred between Feb. 3 and 5, the first weekend of full legislation.

Missouri likely won’t see comprehensive financial data regarding its adult-use cannabis industry until later this year, but the market figures to be in good shape thanks to a hot start combined with an existing demand for medical-use products. The state’s 2021 Medical Marijuana Regulatory Program report, issued in August 2022, said Missouri dispensaries sold approximately $188.1 million in medical-use marijuana products that year.

Marijuana in Missouri is available for purchase for those ages 21 years old and older. Consumers can legally possess up to 3 ounces, or roughly 85 grams, of cannabis, but those with medical marijuana cards can purchase up to 6 ounces of marijuana in a 30-day period.

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