Missouri surpasses $1 billion in legal cannabis sales since February legalization

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KRCG) — Last Tuesday, the Show-Me State surpassed the $1 billion dollar mark in legal cannabis sales, according to the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulations.

The sale of cannabis for recreational use among adults began on February 3rd. In the first three months since sales began, businesses sold $256.2 million dollars for recreational use and another $94 million for medical use.

For comparison, businesses in Illinois, a state with twice the population of Missouri, sold a total of $188.1 million worth of cannabis products in the first three months of legal sales to adults back between January and March of 2020.

The sale of cannabis products in Missouri for medical use only began in October 2020.

According to a release from The Missouri Cannabis Trade Association (MoCannTrade) Missouri has exceeded 14,800 direct jobs in the cannabis industry.

Additionally, when Missourians approved adults' recreational use of cannabis in November, it also became the first state to automatically expunge past, nonviolent marijuana offenses.

MoCannTrade said since then more than 31,000 offenses have been expunged.