Medical Cannabis Sales in Arizona at Lowest Point Since Launch of Adult-Use Market

Medical cannabis sales in Arizona in May fell to their lowest point since the launch of the adult-use market in January 2021, the AZ Mirror reports. Adult-use sales totaled $82.9 million, while medical cannabis sales reached $28.3 million, according to state Department of Revenue (ADOR) data outlined by the Mirror. 

Since the launch of the adult-use market, medical cannabis sales in the state have topped $1.4 billion, while adult-use sales have surpassed $2 billion.   

Adult-use sales were also initially estimated by ADOR at more than $100 million in March, but in May the agency revised that total down by about $1 million in May, and, at the same time, increased sales estimates in April from $86.5 million to $90.1 million, the report says. 

Combined cannabis sales in the state are still regularly topping $100 million in the state but in July 2021 medical cannabis sales fell below $40 million for the first time and have never recovered. According to ADOR data, as of July, there were 126,938 qualifying medical cannabis patient cardholders, down from 127,288 in May and less than half of the 299,054 qualifying patients reported in January 2021. 

So far this year, the adult-use cannabis tax has generated about $182.3 million for the state, which has already surpassed 2022’s total of $132.8 million.