Medical marijuana patients have legally purchased over $200 million worth of medical marijuana so far in 2023.
According to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, there was $211.3 million worth of medical marijuana sold between January 1 and September 30 of this year. During that period there was 44,979 pounds of medical marijuana sold.
In September there was $23.2 million in medical marijuana sold, almost identical to the $23.3 million sold in August and the $23.2 million sold in July.
The $211 million sold so far this year is $6 million more than the same period in 2022.
Medical marijuana sales in 2023 have resulted in $23.5 million in tax revenue for the state. Tax revenue since the start of medical marijuana sales in 2019 is now at $113 million.
“Overall, patients have spent more than $965 million on medical marijuana purchases since the industry launched in May 2019,” said Scott Hardin, spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. “This included $31 million in 2019, $182 million in 2020, $265 million in 2021, $276 million in 2022 and $211 million through September this year. With monthly sales averaging $23.4 million, we remain on track to set a new sales record this year.”
Suite 443 in Hot Springs had the most sales between August and September with 1,103 pounds sold.
Last year Arkansas voters rejected an initiative that would have legalized recreational marijuana. However proponents have vowed to move forward with the new measure they hope to place on the 2024 general election ballot. In the legislature State Senator Joshua Bryant filed legislation earlier this year that would have made recreational marijuana a constitutional right, but it failed to advance in the Senate before the end of the legislative session.
