Massachusetts has sold $8 billion worth of weed since 2018, CCC announces

Residents and visitors to the Bay State have officially spent billion dollars on marijuana since the federally-prohibited product became available for retail sale in the state in according to the Cannabis Control Commission The milestone comes about months after the agency declared sales had surpassed the billion mark and on the heels of record-setting monthly sales in the the greater part fresh January April and May The billion figure was officially reached on June after what the commission described as a record-breaking first half of the year CCC Executive Director Travis Ahern says the new high point shows the residents remains confident in the steadily growing industry The Commission is glad to see the Commonwealth achieve another adult-use cannabis sales milestone which demonstrates that consumers continue to have confidence in the safety and shield of the regulated territory he noted Marijuana sales over time Cannabis Control Commission graphic Cannabis flower as in the actual marijuana buds remains the greater part popular pot product among consumers according to the CCC with million worth of weed sold in that fashion from January to July of this year alone In second and third place are vape products concentrated marijuana that is heated electronically and inhaled as a vapor and pre-rolled joints grossing million and million respectively so far in The commission has issued notices to commence operations to newly licensed operators this year bringing the total number of approved retail establishments to an all-time high of The commission has issued an additional licenses in to businesses that are as yet not open for sales Selling all of that cannabis has meant a windfall for the state According to the CCC marijuana sales come with both the state sales tax and an additional excise tax On billion in sales that works out to be billion in tax revenue with million collected in fiscal through the end of May That s up million from the same point in the prior fiscal year The executive director seems to think the region has more room for development too Later this year the agency responsible for regulating cannabis sales in Massachusetts will start licensing social consumption sites Think Amsterdam-style pot cafes but without the plane ride across the Atlantic to the Netherlands and maybe quite close to several Dunkin Donuts That should mean more weed sales according to the executive director Ahern stated in a announcement As we anticipate the arrival of Social Consumption businesses an entirely new license category in the coming months we look forward to increasing economic expansion for Massachusetts