Decker A. Handlir
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
In 2022, when recreational cannabis was legalized in Maryland, sales reached approximately $420 million for the year, with dispensaries reporting just over $91.4 million in just two months after the legalization of adult usage. In the United States, $13.2 billion in sales was recorded in 2022.
Maryland was the 20th state to legalize recreational cannabis, allowing storefronts and dispensaries to sell marijuana to individuals over 21. Adult sales in Maryland reached $53 million in the month of August following the legalization. The monthly sales per capita in Maryland reach approximately $14.57 per adult resident.
“There has been a higher influx of customers since there is a small, limited number of dispensaries for the entire recreational population,” said Alisha D. of Liberty Cannabis in Baltimore. “We definitely get a lot of out-of-state customers as well… especially since it’s not widely available on the East Coast yet.”
In Maryland, there are 101 licensed retailers of medical and recreational cannabis, making Maryland a hub for traveling consumers.
58% of the overall market is saturated with Maryland young adult residents, while the other 42% is allocated to traveling consumers, medical patients, and consumers older than 30.
Increased accessibility has shifted where people get their cannabis; now, it can be safely regulated and quality controlled. Making weed a safer and more reliable form of recreation as well as medical treatment.
The legalization of cannabis in Maryland has saturated the market with new users and continues to do so daily. This has shifted how people consume the products greatly. People use cannabis for a plethora of reasons. Whether it be for a fun day with friends or for chronic pain relief. Cannabis has many demographics.
Besides chronic pain, marijuana can also be used for things such as anxiety and depression and can even be prescribed by doctors to patients.