Cannabis data company BDSA expects flower to command the most market share in New York’s legal market, but the firm also believes the vape category will be stronger in the New York market than in other emerging markets.
New York is predicted to be the largest new market for adult-use cannabis, according to data provider BDSA.
“With nearly 15 million residents over the age of 21 and tens of millions more tourists visiting the state annually, New York is one of the most exciting cannabis opportunities in 2023,” said Roy Bingham, co-founder and CEO of BDSA. “Despite some expected growing pains in the early years, the market is expected to be the second-largest contributor to sales growth through 2026, following Florida.”
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Growing pains indeed. New York launched its legal adult-use industry with just one dispensary in Manhattan, with another planned later in January – unlike New Jersey, which launched its fully legal market in April 2022 with numerous stores all opening on the first day.
The state also will be competing with Connecticut, which begins its adult-use sales on Jan. 9 with multiple locations ready to go.
So what does New York have going for it?
BDSA believes that New Yorkers will prefer to buy in their home state versus driving across state lines to make their cannabis purchases. Bingham also thinks the New York market will benefit from being a popular tourist destination.
Vape Power
Like other states, BDSA expects flower to command the most market share in New York’s legal market, but the firm also believes the vape category will be stronger in the New York market than in other emerging markets.
BDSA tracked medical cannabis sales in New York and found that, in November, the vape and flower categories each accounted for 35% of that market’s sales. In contrast, the vape category only accounted for 27% of adult-use sales in the first three months of New Jersey’s adult-use market.
BDSA Consumer Insights determined that New Yorkers have a propensity for flower-based products and are 35% more likely than the aggregate of consumers in adult-use states to prefer joints they have rolled themselves.
They are also 27% more likely to prefer “spliffs” (a joint containing tobacco that consumers must roll themselves).
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No More Shame
New Yorkers are getting more comfortable with owning their cannabis use.
“Consumer Insights data reveal strong growth within the state, with 45% of those surveyed claiming to be past six-month consumers, an approximate 17% increase in consumer penetration since fall 2021,” BDSA noted. “An additional 27% of New York adults indicate they’re likely to consume in the future. ”
Bingham said that this nascent New York market reminds him of the early days of Colorado, which also began as a collection of independent retailers.
“We have always had independent stores, and we have hundreds of them,” Bingham said. “At the moment it’s tiny, but it will be bigger than the medical market.”
Cannabis doesn’t necessarily enhance or detract from your ability to achieve. However, depending on your physical and emotional condition, it can provide some benefits to you as a person.
For the vast majority of my friends and acquaintances, 2022 was a difficult year. Lots of growth! I can definitely say that last year was one of the hardest ones of my life, where I was challenged beyond my “self” and was forced to grow into something else.
Nonetheless, I managed to be insanely productive last year. I completed several books, created numerous websites, built products, wrote articles, courses, etc. — all the while being a stoner.
This proves that cannabis and procrastination isn’t intrinsically connected, irrespective of the fact that it’s far more fun to procrastinate stoned. However, in my personal life, I have found that when I learned how to use cannabis more efficiently, I was able to overcome procrastination. This is because it has nothing to do with the weed and much more to do with the self.
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Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing tasks or activities. It is a common problem that can lead to stress, decreased productivity, and feelings of inadequacy. There are many reasons why people procrastinate.
One reason is fear of failure. People may be afraid that they will not be able to complete a task to their satisfaction or that they will not be able to meet the expectations of others.
Another reason is a lack of motivation. People may not find a task interesting or rewarding, so they put it off. Procrastination can also be a coping mechanism for stress or anxiety.
Instead of facing a difficult task, people may engage in activities that provide immediate gratification or avoidance.
To overcome procrastination, it is important to identify the root cause and develop strategies to address it. Setting specific and achievable goals, breaking tasks into smaller steps, and seeking accountability can all help to overcome procrastination.
Furthermore, seeing that we’re in the beginning of the year and there are many people going to be doing their New Year’s Resolutions, I thought it would be good to work on how you can actually achieve the goals you have set up for yourself!
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Why don’t people achieve their resolutions?
Before we can advance, it’s important to understand why people fail. This is irrespective of whether you smoke weed. In fact, people who smoke weed tend to do the things they like anyhow, and therefore, when you can align your “tasks” with something you like to do – it becomes much easier to follow through.
However, I think it’s probably in our best interest to explore the reasons why people fail their new year’s resolutions. These include:
Lack of planning: Many people make resolutions without a clear plan or strategy in place to help them achieve their goals. Without a specific plan, it can be easy to become overwhelmed or lose motivation.
Unrealistic goals: Some people set unrealistic goals for themselves, which can be difficult or impossible to achieve. This can lead to frustration and ultimately give up on the resolution.
Procrastination: Putting things off until later can be a major barrier to achieving resolutions. People may be tempted to put off tasks or activities until a later time, leading to a lack of progress or even giving up on the resolution altogether.
Lack of accountability: It can be helpful to have someone to hold you accountable for your actions and progress towards your resolution. Without someone to check in with, it can be easy to become sidetracked or lose motivation.
Limited motivation: Many people struggle to stay motivated when pursuing a new year’s resolution. Without a strong reason for achieving the goal, it can be easy to lose focus or give up.
Lack of support: Having a supportive network of people can be crucial in achieving new year’s resolutions. Without a supportive network, it can be more difficult to stay motivated and on track.
As you can see, none of these elements have anything to do with weed and it’s important to be able to focus on these elements to set yourself up for success.
We’ll talk about how to overcome these issues a little bit further. But I want to reiterate the fact that when it comes to achieving ones goals, everybody struggles until they have addressed these issues.
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What are the best tips to achieve your resolutions, according to science?
Since everyone is all about the “science” these days, I decided to let “science” help us out in solving the issues listed above. Therefore, I simply went and looked at the common problems and did some research and this is what I found.
Here are some tips that may help you achieve your New Year’s resolutions based on scientific research:
Make specific, achievable goals: Research has shown that people are more likely to achieve their goals when they are specific and achievable. Instead of resolving to “exercise more,” set a specific goal, such as “exercise for 30 minutes at least 3 times a week.”
Write down your goals: Studies have found that people who write down their goals are more likely to achieve them compared to those who don’t. Writing down your goals also helps you clarify what you want to achieve and helps you track your progress.
Use positive self-talk: Positive self-talk, or telling yourself that you can achieve your goals, can increase your confidence and motivation. Instead of saying “I can’t do this,” try saying “I can do this!”
Find a support system: Having a support system, such as friends or family members who can encourage and motivate you, can make it easier to achieve your goals. You can also seek support from a coach, therapist, or other professional.
Be consistent: Consistency is key to achieving your goals. Make sure to take consistent action towards your goals and don’t give up when you face setbacks.
Set small, achievable goals: Setting small goals that are easy to achieve can help you build momentum and increase your motivation. As you achieve small goals, you can gradually increase the difficulty of your goals. This is not the same as the first point on “specific and achievable”. This is about the “magnitude” of the goal. For example, “I need to finish 100 of X vs I just need to finish 10 of X 10 times…it provides shorter dopamine feedback loops helping you stay motivated.
Reward yourself: Celebrate your progress and accomplishments by rewarding yourself. This can help you stay motivated and keep moving forward towards your goals.
Don’t be too hard on yourself: It’s important to be kind and compassionate to yourself. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t achieve your goals immediately. Instead, focus on making progress and learning from your mistakes.
The fact is that in all likeliness, you’re going to be failing at some of your goals. Some people punish themselves for failure, but when have you ever really “learned anything” when you were being shouted at?
Odds are that you didn’t! Therefore thinking that scolding the self for failure is a way to make you fail less is folly. Rather, accept that sometimes things won’t pan out the way you want — and that it’s not always your fault either.
It’s best to focus on the things that you can change, the things that you can impact, and from there, keep on fueling the fires of motivation instead of trying to stomp out whatever isn’t going the way you want it to!
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How can I use weed as a motivational tool for getting stuff done?
Cannabis doesn’t necessarily enhance or detract from your ability to achieve. However, depending on your physical and emotional condition, it can provide some benefits to you as a person.
These positive side effects can help you achieve your goals especially if you are physically impaired by disease or some psychological issue.
There are several potential positive effects of cannabis on a person, including:
Pain relief: Cannabis has been found to be effective in reducing chronic pain, especially neuropathic pain.
Decreased anxiety: Cannabis can help reduce anxiety and stress, making it a useful treatment for anxiety disorders.
Increased focus: Cannabis can help increase focus and concentration, making it useful for people with ADHD or other cognitive disorders.
Increased creativity: Cannabis has been found to increase creativity in some people, making it useful for those in creative fields. This despite the recent study that claims its “all in your mind”.
As you can imagine, “pain” is a very potent distractor and if cannabis can help mitigate the experience of pain, it will open up some bandwidth to “get shit done”.
Similarly, some people are paralyzed with anxiety about doing “things”. Therefore, smoking a hit or two of weed can jostle the mind enough to allow you to turn the anxiety into excitement. When we’re more relaxed and able to “get into the moment”, we can get things done.
By increasing sleep, mood, focus, and creativity, we can utilize these elements to help us achieve the things we want.
However, perhaps there is a way we can use specific strains to help us achieve more focus, energy, so we can use that as fuel for getting things done?
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What are the best cannabis strains for focus and energy?
While there are thousands of different strains, we’ll take a look at the general overview of strains and you can use this to choose your own approach. Of course, I’m not a big fan of the semantics I’m going to use in this following section, as they are not descriptive enough about the particular pheno. However, since most people think about weed in these terms, I might as well use their language to get my point across.
Having said that…
There are several cannabis strains that may be helpful for increasing focus and energy. Some popular options include:
Sativa strains: These strains are known for their uplifting, energizing effects and are often used to increase focus and productivity. Some popular sativa strains include Green Crack, Durban Poison, and Super Lemon Haze.
Hybrid strains: Hybrid strains can have both sativa and indica characteristics and may be helpful for increasing focus and energy while also providing some relaxation. Some popular hybrid strains for focus and energy include Jack Herer, Pineapple Express, and Jillybean.
High-CBD strains: CBD is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid found in cannabis that is known for its potential to reduce anxiety and stress, which can increase focus and energy. Some popular high-CBD strains for focus and energy include Harlequin, ACDC, and Cannatonic.
As mentioned, this is a very rudimentary way of looking at cannabis. However, in “principle” the information is good. You’ll want to focus on high Sativas which will allow you to have the energy and creativity you seek, but to balance it out with some CBD – so you’re not entirely zonked out of your mind.
Ultimately, you’re going to need to experiment with different strains and different quantities in order to find the sweet spot. You also need to know “when to smoke” and “when to abstain” in order for it to work in your favor.
As mentioned earlier, cannabis doesn’t necessarily “help you achieve” or “not achieve” your goals (this all comes from within), but this doesn’t mean that you can’t use it for this purpose. You simply need to get clear on what it is you want, know when to consume and what to consume — and then keep on going forward.
I also recommend to not work on too many goals simultaneously, rather focus on a few solid ones that will have the most impact in your life. When you begin achieving these, you’ll get addicted to achieving….and then nothing can stop you!
Over 65% of Marylanders chose to legalize recreational cannabis in the November midterms. Starting in July, adults over 21 will be allowed to legally possess up to an ounce-and-a-half of marijuana and 10 grams of cannabis concentrates.
Lawmakers are now expected to set up a regulatory framework for the new and emerging market, as the state General Assembly is scheduled to return to Annapolis for its 90-day session later this week.
To that end, researchers at Cannabis Public Policy Consulting conducted a study to examine what the demand for cannabis looks like, reports WYPR News.
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Michael Sofis, director of research at the firm, and Mackenzie Slade shared the results during last week’s briefing with lawmakers working on a marijuana legalization issue.
Based on their findings, Sofis predicted a robust retail market, as Marylanders who use marijuana tend to consume an average of 25.4 grams on a monthly basis. This is nearly five grams more than users in other states where recreational cannabis use is legal, according to the study, which included thousands of Marylands.
Moreover, according to the survey, cannabis consumers would set aside $14 per gram of marijuana and drive up to 20 minutes to purchase the product.
“That was really shocking to me,” Sofis said. “It reflects a certain level [of], I wouldn’t say passion, but an underlying motivation for cannabis.”
Marijuana Advocates Call For Implementing Equity
Meanwhile, Prince George’s County’s residents and cannabis advocates are urging lawmakers to pay attention to expungement, equitable access for business owners, and reinvesting in communities as they move forward with the marijuana regulatory framework, reported DC News Now.
“We wanted them to have a very strong lens of equity in relation to how these laws are created, as well as the distribution of funds and profits from this particular cell of this drug,” said Jana Parker, member of PG ChangeMakers. “I think we have a really great opportunity in the state of Maryland to set the precedents for really kind of righting the wrongs that incarcerating individuals on marijuana and cannabis have done, particularly in the capacity of you’re now moving to, you know, legalize this particular drug and sell it and get massive profits in the millions and billions of dollars.”
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MSOs Are Getting Ready To Kick Off Sales
Lawmakers are expected to finalize rules and regs for licensing, taxes and more before July 2024. Those running some of the largest multi-state operators already functioning in the state’s medical marijuana market, like Curaleaf Holdings Inc., Verano Holdings Corp., TerrAscend Corp., and Trulieve Cannabis Corp. are getting ready to kick off sales of recreational marijuana.
James Leventis, EVP of compliance and government affairs at Verano, told Benzinga’s Nina Zdinjak recently that recreational cannabis sales should benefit cannabis operators of all sizes. Adult-use cannabis “will bring tremendous economic growth, tax revenue and career opportunities benefiting businesses, individuals and communities statewide.”
Matt Darin, CEO of Curaleaf, agreed with Leventis’ comments.
“There is a lot of room for growth by operators of all sizes while ensuring that the state meets its social equity goals,” he said. “Maryland borders a legal state, so this gives the local industry an opportunity to gain back market share by allowing consumers to buy closer to home.”
While more research is needed to get a clear picture of marijuana’s effect on the economy, this is good news for marijuana proponents, and for anyone who’s interested in getting a job in a new and developing field of work.
New research has found a connection between legal marijuana and more job opportunities.
Conducted by researchers from San Diego State and Bentley Universities, the study examined survey results from 2002-2020 in an attempt to explore the impact of legal marijuana on the economy.
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The analysis was published by the National Bureau of Economic Research and found that legal adult marijuana laws had little impact on work productivity, a topic that’s long been a concern for anti-proponents of the drug. Instead, the data discovered evidence of more job opportunities and rates in the nascent industry, especially in adults over the age of 30.
Other demographics that were positively impacted included young racial minorities and people working within the agriculture sector.
“These results are consistent with the opening of a new licit industry for marijuana and (especially for older individuals) a substitution away from harder substances such as opioids,” said researchers.
While the research is related to the topic of productivity and weed, it differed from similar studies in focusing wholly on economic trends post-legal marijuana and in the fact that there’s a new industry and thus a new source of jobs.
Researchers theorized that not only did legal cannabis result in more work opportunities, it also kept users away from more dangerous substances.
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When it comes to the black market and its harms, the establishment of a legal market eliminated criminal activity and a source of oppression for marginalized people, among them, young men of color, who have been historically targeted by law enforcement.
“Longer-run labor market effects may differ as we learn about the effects of RMLs on cognitive development and human capital acquisition of those under age 21, which could take time to unfold and be reflected in market level effects on productivity, wages, and/or employment,” concludes the study. “Moreover, the labor market effects of reductions in criminal records could also take time to unfold.”
While more research is necessary to develop a clear picture of marijuana’s effect on the economy, this is good news for marijuana proponents, and for anyone who’s interested in getting a job in a new and developing field of work.
Dry January is becoming increasingly common. Here’s how weed can help you.
The holidays are a time of overindulgences, when you drink and eat too much and time doesn’t feel real. Dry January has grown in popularity due to these reasons, providing people with plenty of health benefits that can impact their lives over the course of the year.
Though that all sounds amazing, for a lot of people, giving up on alcohol for an entire month is not an easy ask. While it may be easy to stick to these rules at home, once you enter the outside world, temptation will likely strike. Here’s where weed comes in.
While replacing one behavior with another may not be the answer, if you consume marijuana with some calm and a clear head, the drug may help make the month breeze by, while also boosting your energy and allowing you to stick to your sober goals. Here are three things marijuana can do to help you stick to dry January:
For habitual and social drinkers, Dry January can be difficult to stick to. Adding weed into the mix may help you curb some of your cravings, especially when spending time with friends or doing an activity that usually involves alcohol. Weed could relieve some of the pressure associated with going out.
Weed may prevent extreme behaviors
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While Dry January has plenty of health benefits, it’s also associated with some extreme behaviors. For example, once people quit drinking for a month, it could give them a false sense of security and encourage them to drink more in the following month, getting rid of the health benefits that they carefully constructed. While weed affects your brain and your body, it provides a very different reaction for your body, eliminating hangovers and calories that accompany alcohol.
Lastly, weed can be a helpful addition to Dry January because it’s very fun. January is already a tough month, the unofficial Monday of the year, coming in the wake of the holidays and holiday breaks. Weed might help make the weeks more bearable and allow you to focus on your mental and physical health.
In December, the City of Detroit notified the first 33 successful applicants for adult-use marijuana retail licenses that they had been approved.
Michigan-based Cloud Cannabis began adult-use cannabis sales on Friday at its Detroit location, becoming one of the first dispensaries to do so in the city.
“Today marks the beginning of an exciting new period for both Cloud and the city of Detroit,” said Jacob Saboo, Co-Founder & Head of Retail at Cloud Cannabis. “We are proud to bring our premier retail experience to the city’s recreational customers, while sharing meaningful insights in cannabis education and a first-class portfolio of products with the local community. With big things ahead for Cloud in 2023, we couldn’t think of a better way to kick off the new year.”
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Detroit Delays
While Michigan started adult-use sales in December 2019, municipalities had the right to opt-out. The college town of Ann Arbor embraced recreational cannabis with enthusiasm, while Detroit found itself mired in lawsuits that delayed a rollout.
“Our goal from the day voters approved the sale of adult use marijuana was to make sure we had a city ordinance and a process in place that provides fair and equitable access to these licenses and the courts have affirmed that we’ve done just that,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. “Council President Pro-Tem Tate, and our Department of Civil Right, Inclusion & Opportunity and Law Department deserve a great deal of credit for making this historic day possible. The City’s ability to accept applications was delayed in July after two separate lawsuits were filed following City Council approval of the modified adult-use marijuana licensing ordinance in April, and a judge temporarily halted the process before reversing course and upholding the City’s ordinance.”
Council President Pro-Tem James Tate said, “Three months ago, a Wayne County Circuit Court judge declared our ordinance “unambiguous” and “a fair licensing process”. Despite clear rulings issued by the courts, various plaintiffs continue their frivolous attempts to dominate the adult-use cannabis industry in the city in an effort to leave Detroiters and other Social Equity applicants out of the market.” Judge Friedman ruled against the Temporary Restraining Order that would have prevented Detroit from moving forward with its current Adult-Use Marijuana Ordinance.
Ringing Up Sales
In addition to Cloud Cannabis, House of Dank also fired up sales in the Motor City this week. The company has two locations, one on 8 Mile and the other on Fort St.
“Going recreational in Detroit is a huge milestone for us,” Crystal Jamo, House of Dank’s general manager, told the Detroit Free Press. “Just because we’ve been waiting for it for so long that, like, ‘Pinch me, is it real?’”
Cloud Cannabis is located at 16001 Mack Ave. and situated on the border of Detroit Grosse Pointe, Cloud’s Detroit dispensary offers flower, pre-roll, concentrate, and vape products from top-tier Michigan brands including Mitten Extracts, Wonderbrett, Stiiizy, Pressure Pack, Backpack Boyz, CREAM, Northcoast, and more. The company said a grand opening celebration event will come at a later date.
First 33
In December, the City of Detroit notified the first 33 successful applicants for adult-use marijuana retail licenses that they had been approved. The City’s Office of Marijuana Ventures & Entrepreneurship determined the following 13 non-equity applicants, and 20 equity applicants met all the necessary criteria to be awarded a license:
“All the states have huge potential. They just need to either pass medical cannabis laws or take their existing limited medical cannabis laws and expand them to allow patients to fully come into the markets,” said one top analyst.
The South may be the last frontier for state cannabis legalization, but the region could be a boon for the industry once the floodgates open.
A report from cannabis consulting firm Global Go posits that Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana could provide value for entrepreneurs sitting on the sidelines of Florida’s limited vertical model — especially given Alabama’s approval of medical cannabis last May and further expansions in the other three state’s existing medical programs.
But the success has little to do with the “overall political leanings of (a state electorate),” said Tom Adams, principal analyst and CEO of Global Go and author of the report “Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana: A Second Shot at Southern State Cannabis Profitability.”
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Instead, it has “everything to do with how liberally medical programs are regulated,” he wrote. Factors for that include:
Limits on types of products allowed.
Qualified conditions approved.
Rules for prescribing doctors.
Store count limits and local opt-out rules.
“Politics absolutely matters, but it’s because it affects these factors that really determine how successful a market can be,” Adams told Green Market Report.
Access is key, in part because cannabis consumption is notoriously underreported. For example, more Oklahomans signed up for their state’s laissez-fair medical cannabis program than admitted to using the product in surveys conducted before legalization.
In Louisiana, participation in the medical program also ballooned after the legislature passed a law to allow more retail sale of flower.
However, the fact that Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana do not have ballot initiative processes remains a critical issue. Adoption and expansion of the programs depend on the will of the state legislatures — and lobbying and educating elected social conservatives in the Bible Belt on the cannabis question has proved sluggish.
Growth Potential
“Still, even if the region only sees Missouri’s $33.08 per capita spending in 2021, just over half Florida’s level, the combined markets could grow quickly to nearly $800 million,” Adams wrote.
Andrew Livingston, director of economics and research for Denver-based cannabis law firm Vicente Sederberg LLP, noted that the word “potential” is key when it comes to speculating growth stories.
“All the states have huge potential,” he told Green Market Report. “They just need to either pass medical cannabis laws or take their existing limited medical cannabis laws and expand them to allow patients to fully come into the markets.”
Livingston noted that state-level medical cannabis laws help demonstrate the legitimacy of cannabis patients and business.
“That legitimacy changes the lives of voters at the state level and those state level voters put pressure on federal legislators to evolve and recognize,” he added.
He believes that Mississippi, which permits flower sales and does not cap the amount of licenses operators can hold, “will show over time the potential of a market that allows the patients to truly actualize their demand.”
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Pressure from Florida
Despite tight Southern medical markets, the possibility that Florida will adopt adult-use consumption next year could open the floodgates for cross-border traffic and potentially persuade neighboring legislatures to open up their markets to capture that revenue for state coffers, Adams said.
“Because, boy, if Florida goes adult use, and anybody from Alabama, Mississippi, or Louisiana can go down there and get cannabis, that’s just money left on the table by the legislatures of those states,” he said.
“The big move will happen when Florida goes adult and and suddenly, there’s hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue at stake.”
The first year of recreational cannabis sales in Montana brought in nearly $203 million, including December sales of $25.6 million. Here’s how other states fared.
Experts predicted strong sales, but these legal marijuana states sales blow expectations. Over the past year, Massachusetts recreational sales totaled $1.42 billion, according to a report from the state’s Cannabis Control Commission. July sales were the highest, amounting to $132.4 million, followed by $130.8 million in cannabis sold in August.
Flower was the product category that was most in demand, followed by vape-related products, pre-rolls and edibles.
Since the legalization of recreational weed sales in November 2018, the Bay State has pulled in $3.9 billion in total gross sales. Medical sales in 2022 totaled $260.2 million, while gross medical cannabis sales reached $929.6 million in December.
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Meanwhile, MA officials announced the creation of a new board, charged with overseeing how the state will hand out money from a trust fund that will support members of overpoliced communities who are seeking to run cannabis businesses, reported The Boston Globe.
The Cannabis Social Equity Advisory Board, which consists of five cannabis industry experts, will be guiding the Executive Office of Economic Development in overseeing the trust fund.
The members include:
Keisha Brice, a former Curaleaf executive who was appointed by former governor Charlie Baker as the board’s chair.
Chris Fevry, appointed by state treasurer Deborah Goldberg
Aaron Goines, nominated by Governor Maura Healey in her role as the outgoing attorney general;
Meaka Brown and Phil Smith were appointed together by Baker, Goldberg and Healey.
NM Rec Sales Strong In December
Marijuana sales have also been skyrocketing in New Mexico, reported the Albuquerque Journal.
According to sales figures provided by the Cannabis Control Division, New Mexico reached another record in December with over $28 million recorded in total marijuana sales, surpassing record October sales by $3 million.
Medical sales grew to $15.1 million, as compared to around $14 million in November.
Andrew Vallejos, the state’s acting director for the CCD, said he was surprised by a significant increase in overall cannabis sales.
“I don’t know exactly what attributed to the increase in medical and recreational, as a bump up in December, but it was kind of surprising to us to see how robust those numbers were,” he said. “The sales (numbers) are interesting in and of themselves, but what I’m encouraged by is the fact that it means a steady cash flow for (businesses) to stay open and to make a profit.”
New Mexico legalized adult-use cannabis in April 2021 after Gov.Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the Cannabis Regulation Act. Some two months later, the law took effect, allowing adults to legally possess, use and grow recreational cannabis, including six plants or up to 12 in a household with more than one adult.
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Montana Combined Marijuana Sales Surpass $300M
Meanwhile, the first year of recreational cannabis sales brought in nearly $203 million for Montana, including December sales of $25.6 million.
Combined with medical marijuana sales, a total of $303,563,879 was spent on cannabis over the past year, state revenue department figures showed, reported by KTVH.
“That’s representative of about 40 tons of product in the system in Montana, and that’s all Montana-grown and Montana-processed and sold right here in the state,” said Pepper Petersen, president and CEO of the Montana Cannabis Guild.
Petersen estimated that the marijuana industry supports over 5,000 jobs statewide.
He said that these figures only show that the market was present for years.
“It just shows that this market has been here,” Petersen continued. “I think that’s what we see, is that we’ve taken from the black market so much and put it into the white market – the legitimate market, as it were, with licensed producers, a very safe product.”
The state now has one of the most robust medical marijuana access programs in the United States. By contrast, adult-use possession is punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Oklahoma voters will decide on a citizens’ initiated measure (State Question 820) legalizing the adult-use marijuana market in a special election to be held on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.
“Voters in both traditionally ‘red’ and ‘blue’ states have historically cast their vote in favor of ending the failed policy of cannabis criminalization,” NORML’s State Policies Manager Jax James said. “If the past is precedent, Oklahomans will once again demonstrate that legalizing and regulating marijuana is favored by the majority of voters, regardless of geography or party affiliation.”
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Representatives with the group Oklahomans for Sensible Marijuana Laws in July turned in over 164,000 signatures to the Secretary of State’s Office in order to place SQ 820 on the November 2022 ballot. However, the Secretary of State’s office took an excessive amount of time to verify the signatures. Opponents of the measure then filed a series of questionable legal challenges litigating various facets of the campaign, including challenges to the initiative’s summary language.
Weeks before the 2022 election, in a unanimous decision, the Oklahoma Supreme Court determined that voters would have to wait to decide the issue until either the next general election (in 2024) or until the Governor or the legislature calls for a special election. Governor Kevin Stitt (R) had said that he personally opposes legalizing marijuana for adults. He then issued an executive proclamation calling for the special election on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.
SQ 820, sponsored by the group Oklahomans for Sensible Marijuana Laws, permits adults to legally possess and home-cultivate personal use qualities of cannabis while also establishing a licensed, retail marketplace. Those with past marijuana convictions, or those who are currently incarcerated for certain cannabis-related crimes, would be able to petition the courts for either record expungement or re-sentencing consideration.
Oklahoma voters in 2018 approved a statewide ballot initiative permitting the licensed production and retail sale of cannabis to those with a physician’s authorization. That initiative was also approved during a special election. The state now has one of the most robust medical marijuana access programs in the United States. By contrast, adult-use possession is punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Among other things, Missouri will likely have a fully-functioning, legal adult use marijuana market this year; and proponents continue their push to make Florida another conservative-leaning state with liberal marijuana laws.
As we step into 2023, we are also walking into lots of uncertainty. The state of the world and its economy are on the minds of many, and it can be easy to feel a bit apprehensive about the new year. But though there is some uneasiness about these cloudy prospects in the future, there are also many rays of light piercing through those clouds.
While the start of 2023 has not ushered in the era of federal marijuana legalization as some had hoped, it has certainly started off with some glimmers of optimism. From red states legalizing adult use marijuana, to major ballot initiatives, and even growing support for legalized marijuana, there are all sorts of reasons for cannabis users to be smiling this year. Here are five things to look forward to as we charge forward into 2023.
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New York Officially Opens Doors to Thriving Weed Industry
New York legalized marijuana last year, and now the state has opened the floodgates to allow recreational dispensary purchases, as we havereported. In fact, New York is likely to become one of the top cannabis-selling states very quickly.
In fact, Matt Hawkins, the founder and managing partner of Entourage Effect told The Fresh Toast, “New York recently kicked off its adult-use market, and as the state is expected to become the second largest in terms of sales (after California), the revenue it generates will support broader industry growth for years to come.” So this is exciting news for all cannabis enthusiasts, especially those living in the Northeast.
Florida’s Marijuana Ballot Initiative
Florida has a booming medical marijuana market, but a ballot initiative is trying to move the Sunshine State from a medical marijuana state to a recreational one. The ballot measure requires signature collecting and support from the majority of Floridian’s, as it requires a minimum of 891,589 signatures by the start of February, 2024, accordingBallotpedia.
According to the ballot’ssummary, the amendment “allows adults 21 years or older to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption by smoking, ingestion, or otherwise.”
This proposed amendment aims to take effect in 2024. But in order for that to happen, lots of hard work will have to occur this year. So look to Florida throughout 2023 for new developments as proponents push to make Florida another conservative-leaning state with liberal marijuana laws.
Missouri Roll’s Out Recreational Marijuana
Conservative-leaning Missouri will become the latest red state to sell recreational adult use marijuana. The dispensaries can open their doors as early as February 6, depending on how quickly the establishments obtain approval.
According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Serviceswebsite, “Once approved, comprehensive facilities will be allowed to sell marijuana to patient ID cardholders, primary caregiver ID cardholders and adults over the age of 21.”
There are several steps in the adult use process in Missouri, but by the end of 2023, the state will likely have a fully-functioning, legal adult use marijuana market.
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Marijuana Continues to Gain Mainstream Support
Polling continues to show that Americans are warming up more and more to the idea of legalized marijuana. In fact, some of the latest numbers show almost 90% of Americans believe marijuana should be available in some form.
According toPew Research, “An overwhelming share of U.S. adults (88%) say either that marijuana should be legal for medical and recreational use by adults (59%) or that it should be legal for medical use only (30%).” The same Pew Research article goes on to say that just one in ten people polled said they believe marijuana should not be legal.
These numbers show that U.S. citizens have come a long way when it comes to thoughts on marijuana in the mainstream. With more states loosening restrictions each year, marijuana use continues to become more normalized in many aspects of society.
Whispers of a recession have become more common, and many are bracing for a potential economic downturn in 2023. But not all industries are likely to feel the effects of a recession equally. As we have previouslyreported, marijuana might not be completely recession proof, but it is very resilient, and sales continued to grow even during the pandemic.
Sales as of late are still strong. Kyle Shenfeld, president of Rainbow Realty Group, told The Fresh Toast, “Our clients saw a steady boost in sales during the holiday season and we expect continued growth in the new year.” So while tough economic times might still lie ahead, marijuana sales are likely to remain strong for now.
