ST. LOUIS — Dispensaries around the state sold more than $8 million worth of recreational marijuana in the first weekend since the state legalized it for adult use, the state's health department said.
According to the state's cannabis regulation page, recreational marijuana sales totaled $8,500,900 from Friday to Sunday. Another $4,189,065 in medical marijuana was also sold in the state over the weekend.
An amendment allowing for recreational sales in Missouri passed in November 2022. Several dispensary owners thought the license to sell would kick in on Monday, Feb. 6, but it came early on Friday, Feb. 3.
DHSS Communications Director Lisa Cox said nearly all of the state's medical marijuana dispensaries applied for the comprehensive license that would allow for recreational and medicinal sales. She said 90% of those dispensaries applied on Dec. 8, the first day applications were accepted.
According to the cannabis regulation page, the sales on each day were as follows:
- Sales for Friday, February 3, 2023, are: medical marijuana sales totaled, $1,996,590.36 and consumer sales totaled, $3,008,181.35 for a combined total of $5,004,771.71.
- Sales for Saturday, February 4, 2023, are: medical marijuana sales totaled, $1,302,660.51 and consumer sales totaled, $3,332,684.03 for a combined total of $4,635,344.54.
- Sales for Sunday, February 5, 2023, are: medical marijuana sales totaled, $889,813.59 and consumer sales totaled, $2,160,035.23 for a combined total of $3,049,848.82.
The new constitutional amendment in Missouri set a sales tax of 6% on all recreational marijuana sales, meaning the state brought in more than $500,000 on the first weekend of sales.
When Illinois legalized recreational marijuana in 2020, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation said there was $10,830,667.91 worth of recreational marijuana sales in the first week, including $3.2 million on the first day.
