colorado marijuana Archives

There Was Over $135 Million in Legal Marijuana Sold in Colorado in September

November 11, 2018November 11, 2018

There was over $135 million in marijuana and marijuana products sold legally in Colorado in September, according to data from the state’s Department of Revenue.

In total there was $135,536,453 in marijuana and marijuana products purchased legally in Colorado in September. This is slightly less than the $141 million sold in August, which set a record in the state for the most marijuana sold in a given month.

Of the $135 million in marijuana sold in September, $27.9 million came from medical marijuana sales, the remainder coming from the sale of recreational marijuana. These sales helped Colorado garner around $20 million in tax revenue for September alone.

Colorado: $124 Million in Legal Marijuana Sold in April

June 12, 2018

According to new data released by the Colorado Department of Revenue, there was over $124 million in marijuana and marijuana products sold in April.

The $124.31 million in legal marijuana sold in April is a slight increase over the total for April, 2017, which was $124.27 million. April’s totals are down from March, which was a record-setting month with $135,183,956 in marijuana and marijuana products sold. Of the $124 million sold in April, less than $30 million came from medical cannabis sales, with the remainder coming from the sale of recreational marijuana.

The new data brings the state’s total marijuana sales for 2018 to around $490 million. This puts Colorado on track to sell around $1.5 billion in legal marijuana for 2018, which would be on par with the $1.5 billion sold in 2017 (there was $1.3 billion sold the year prior).

Colorado: $135.2 Million in Legal Marijuana Sold in March, New Monthly Record

May 9, 2018

There was more legal marijuana sold throughout Colorado in March than any month prior, according to new data released by the Colorado Department of Revenue.

There was $135,183,956 worth of marijuana and marijuana products purchased legally in Colorado in March. This sets a new monthly sales record for the state, which began legal sales in 2014. Roughly $106 million of this came from recreational marijuana sales, with the additional $29.2 million coming from the sale of medical marijuana.

The new data brings the state’s total for 2018 to $365 million, a 6% increase from the same period in 2017. This puts the state on track to sell around $1.6 billion in legal marijuana for 2018, which would be a slight increase from the $1.5 billion sold in 2017 (and a considerable increase over the $1.3 billion sold in 2016).

Study: Those in the Food Services Industry Most Likely to Use Marijuana, Those in Mining, Oil, and Gas Least Likely

April 15, 2018

A new Colorado-based study released by the CDC examines the likelihood of a person being a marijuana consumer based on the industry they currently work in.

The study, titled Current Marijuana Use by Industry and Occupation — Colorado, 2014–2015, was released by the CDC on Friday. Using the 2014 and 2015 BRFSS [Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System] data combined, “state-weighted percentages were calculated, and bivariate analyses using a Rao-Scott chi-square test were performed to compare the prevalence of marijuana use by age group, sex, and race/ethnicity.” In addition, “prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to compare the prevalence of marijuana use by industry and occupation.”

Among the combined 26,936 respondents* in the BRFSS 2014 and 2015 surveys, 18,848 (70.0%) were given the opportunity to answer the question of whether they had ever used marijuana or hashish, and 18,674 (99.1%) responded (either positively or negatively) to the question. Of those respondents, 10,169 (54.5%) indicated that they were employed or had been out of work for less than 1 year. Among the 10,169 workers responding, 14.6% reported using marijuana during the preceding 30 days.

Over $1.5 Billion in Legal Marijuana Sold in Colorado in 2017

February 9, 2018February 9, 2018

**According to data released by Colorado’s Department of Revenue, there was $1.51 billion in legal marijuana and marijuana products sold in 2017.**

The $1.51 billion sold is an increase over the $1.3 billion sold in 2016. In 2015 there was $995 million sold, and in 2014 – the first year of legal sales – $683 million in marijuana was sold.

According to the new data, which was released today, there was $1.09 billion in recreational marijuana sold in 2017. As for medical marijuana, licensed dispensaries sold $416 million worth. These sales resulted in roughly $250 million in new taxes for Colorado.

Study: Cannabis Legalization Has Reduced Opioid-Related Deaths in Colorado

October 15, 2017

The legalization of cannabis in Colorado has reduced opioid-related deaths, according to a new study published by The American Journal of Public Health.

The objective of the study, conducted by researchers at the University of North Texas School of Public Health, the University of Florida, and Emory University, was to “examine the association between Colorado’s legalization of recreational cannabis use and opioid-related deaths.” To do this researchers “used an interrupted time-series design (2000-2015) to compare changes in level and slope of monthly opioid-related deaths before and after Colorado stores began selling recreational cannabis.” They also “describe the percent change in opioid-related deaths by comparing the unadjusted model-smoothed number of deaths at the end of follow-up with the number of deaths just prior to legalization.”

According to the study’s abstract; “Colorado’s legalization of recreational cannabis sales and use resulted in a 0.7 deaths per month (b = -0.68; 95% confidence interval = -1.34, -0.03) reduction in opioid-related deaths. This reduction represents a reversal of the upward trend in opioid-related deaths in Colorado.”

Colorado: $1 Billion in Legal Marijuana Sold in First 8 Months of 2017

October 11, 2017

From January 1st of this year to the end of August, there was over $1 billion worth of legal marijuana and marijuana products sold in Colorado.

Colorado marijuana sales have surpassed the $1 billion mark in just eight months this year. In 2016, it took 10 months to reach the same mark. According to The Cannabist, year-to-date sales are up 21% this year compared to the first eight months of 2016, when sales totaled $846 million.

The over $1 billion in legal marijuana sales for 2017 have resulted in over $162 million in taxes for the state. This is garnered from a 15% excise tax on marijuana sales, which was raised in July from 10% (though at the same time marijuana sales were exempted from the states standard 2.95 sales tax).

Colorado has Garnered Over Half a Billion Dollars in New Revenue Since Start of Marijuana Legalization

July 19, 2017

Colorado has garnered over half a billion dollars in marijuana-related revenue since legal sales began in 2014, according to a new analysis of state data released Wednesday by Denver-based VS Strategies.

The report — which can be found by clicking here — details the sources of the revenue and provides a snapshot of how it is being distributed.

“Legalizing, regulating, and taxing marijuana for adult use has generated hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenue for Colorado,” says Mason Tvert of VS Strategies (Tvert previously worked for the Marijuana Policy Project). “Marijuana tax money has been used to improve a wide range of programs and services. It is funding everything from school construction to substance abuse treatment to fighting homelessness. While it might not fix every school or help every person who needs it, it is having a significant and positive impact on our community.”

Colorado Governor Signs Bill Allowing Marijuana Misdemeanors to be Sealed from Record

June 7, 2017

Legislation allowing those convicted of a marijuana possession misdemeanor to have the conviction sealed (essentially removed) from their criminal record has been signed into law by Governor John Hickenlooper.

House Bill 1266 was signed into law by Governor Hickenlooper yesterday, giving those previously convicted of marijuana possession charges that are now legal to have the conviction sealed from their record, meaning it won’t show up in a criminal background check.

According to the official summary of House Bill 1266; “The bill allows persons who were convicted of misdemeanors for the use or possession of marijuana to petition for the sealing of criminal records relating to such convictions if their behavior would not have been a criminal offense if the behavior had occurred on or after December 10, 2012. The court shall order the record sealed after the filing fees are paid and the petitioner establishes the offense is eligible for sealing.”

Bill Allowing Sealing of Marijuana Misdemeanors Approved by Colorado Legislature

May 11, 2017

A bill to allow those convicted of a marijuana possession misdemeanor to have the conviction sealed from their criminal record has been approved by Colorado’s full legislature.

House Bill 1266 has now been approved by the full House of Representatives and Senate, sending it to Governor John Hickenlooper for consideration. Hickenlooper has yet to state whether he will sign the measure into law, allow it to become law without his signature, or veto it.

According to the measure’s official summary; “The bill allows persons who were convicted of misdemeanors for the use or possession of marijuana to petition for the sealing of criminal records relating to such convictions if their behavior would not have been a criminal offense if the behavior had occurred on or after December 10, 2012. The court shall order the record sealed after the filing fees are paid and the petitioner establishes the offense is eligible for sealing.”