Huge 420 sales demonstrate growth of Missouri marijuana market
Missouri hits landmark in sales as the state’s medical marijuana industry continues to bloom
In Missouri, 65% of voters approved medical marijuana use in a 2018 ballot initiative. Since the first facilities came online in late 2020, the state has seen steady and significant growth in both the number of operational businesses and the number of active patients. Today Missouri touts over 330 licensed medical marijuana businesses that have received approval to operate, and over 7700 individuals licensed to work in Missouri’s medical marijuana industry.
In March, Missouri saw more patient applications than any other month in the program’s existence, with 13,753 applications submitted. The original study performed by the University of Missouri Columbia Economics Department indicated an expected patient base of 19,029 in the first year of the program and 26,102 in the third year. Today, more than 180,000 active patients call Missouri home. The month also saw the state cross $30 million in monthly sales for the first time, averaging nearly $1 million dollars in sales per day in March.
This week, Missouri’s cannabis businesses and community celebrated 420 for the second time. With more variety, more selection, more choice, and more patients, the industry celebrated a milestone of its success. Facilities around the state played host to patients and guests for specialty pricing, educational events, and celebrations of cannabis culture for a mid-week holiday. Dispensaries sold $2.85 million worth of medical marijuana products on Wednesday. By comparison, Missouri dispensaries sold a combined $8.82 million for the entire month of April in 2021.
According to data from Cova, Missouri dispensaries saw a 233% increase in medical marijuana products sold on 4/20 as compared to the week prior.
For over 25 years, medical marijuana has been in the public purview to some degree. California became the first state in the union to approve the use of medical marijuana after the passage of Proposition 215, in 1996. Over the last quarter-century, cannabis has seen a renaissance of acceptance and understanding. While there was no shortage of tropes and icons for cannabis culture prior to the ’90s, the rejuvenation of the cannabis plant has been sped along by its acceptance as a quality of life and treatment tool for those who suffer from debilitating or chronic conditions, or those who find it a more pleasant or safer alternative to pharmaceuticals.
Socially, marijuana and cannabis culture has moved beyond stereotypes and is now represented in virtually every walk of life, highlighted in ways that we never considered. While we reminisce fondly on the basement circle from That 70’s Show, the fact that there are no less than 10 shows dedicated to cooking with cannabis currently available on major streaming outlets speaks volumes about how we view cannabis in today’s society. In many ways, cannabis has become as commonplace as the after-work glass of wine or beer, to relieve stress and aid in relaxation – but with additional therapeutic benefits for those who suffer from chronic illnesses.
We have reached a point in our culture where 91% of American adults now support some form of legal marijuana, according to a Pew Research survey in 2021.
