Washington state-licensed marijuana retailers sold an estimated $3.8 million in cannabis products in July, the first month during which such sales were allowed under state law. The sales are estimated to have already generated more than $1 million in tax revenue.
To date, the state’s Liquor Control Board has issued marijuana retail licenses to some 40 facilities. However, only 16 of those stores reported sales in the month of July, according to the Associated Press. Under state regulations, the Board may issue a total of 334 licenses to retail facilities statewide.
Similar state-licensed stores have been operating in Colorado since January 1. For the month of June, Colorado retailers sold a record $24.7 million worth of cannabis goods.
Voters in both states in 2012 approved ballot measures regulating the commercial production, retail sale, and adult use of cannabis.
Voters in Alaska and Oregon will vote on similar measures this November.
$$$MONEY$$$!!!! We’ve got the prohibitionists by their little cojones now.
I wish I had a digital snapshot of the facial reactions of DEA director Michelle Leonhart, petrochemical and timber patent holders The Koch brothers, CIA director John Brennan and Deputy drug czar Michael Boticelli had when they first read these numbers. Have they closed their jaws yet?
Though I do see the efforts and data of this article to be 100% positive, and moreover to be the most driving and effective piece of data in the effort to end prohibition simply due to the dollars and cents involved. My worry is that we are slowly building corporate giants out of many of the heavily backed growers, dispensaries, and “value added” business like edible, oil, and tincture manufacturers/producers. One piece of legislation I see as a key component in preventing a large companies to control the entire market is the idea of “patient provide medicine”. Medical dispensaries and retail shops alike must be able to purchase cannabis and cannabis products from legally operating individuals, just as a grocer will buy from both produce from factory farms, as well as small local operations. Science does not discriminate between cannabis grown in a commercial operation, and cannabis grown in your home. As long as tests prove that your medicine is meeting equally high standards, shops should be free to purchase from who they wish. Not to say that these large companies are not important; in fact they are essential to the development of the industry. When your business is generating millions in tax revenue, your local political representatives tend to take your opinions seriously. These large companies are spending millions on research and developing an understanding for all of us when it comes to “best practices” in the cannabis industry. I can write for pages on this topic alone, but the main stance I am trying to forward is balance. We must maintain balance and symbiosis in the industry. This harmony, even non-cannabis people find infectious, and this I see as a most crucial component in ending prohibition.
this window of truth has been bl0wn wide open. the fact is that cannabis is good for society. can’t wait to see the health, crime and traffic statistics in 5 years.
Congrats NORML for helping to take an estimated 28.5 million dollars out of the hands of the black market. Keep up the good work!
I’d like to see how the DEA could justify this amazing outcome as harmful. Unless they want black market murderers anyway…
Facts are facts you know? Numbers are numbers and even though statistics do lie and people manipulate figures sometimes you can’t argue with a million dollars in tax revenue. One of the strongest arguments for legalization will just be the numbers speaking for themselves. I’m curious to see how herb prices change over time in demand (necessity, actually) for healthy tax revenues.
On the face of it, I am okay with the legalization in the state of Washington and Colorado and other states that follow.
However, there is the matter where those that want to partake of the now legal weed, but will get fired from their jobs because of drug testing, they are fired or prohibited from getting hired for THC being in their system.
In states where weed is legal, folks should not be discriminated against because they opt to puff a little legal weed , drug testing for THC should be eliminated.
Back in the 70’s people were chanting, “We smoke pot, and we like it a lot.” Now they’ve got the data to support their emoting.
If anyone at the Federal government thinks this is limited to only a few states they are not fooling anyone else.
I, for one, care less to pull the wool over my own eyes.
…so,who is working on testing…anybody know? drug testing has to change! I doubt it will be eliminated so, we need to get it changed…any information…anyone?
Good job Colorado!!
Why can’t all the states do such great sales????
Oh no….guess they are missing out.
My state sucks……{Virginia}…
If I could move, I would in a heartbeat.
James, New Jersey sucks too! VA is worst. You guys have a law which states hitch hiking illegal and your DOT tells people to hitch rides with people travelling to northern VA. How can you guys have two laws which are in direct conflict with each other???
I’ve called the VDOT a couple of times, and still have not got a straight answer.
Do you think those idiots can write a real, decent Marijuana Reform Law? I doubt it. They’ll just raise the fines and jail time for something that isn’t a crime is the first place.