In Montana, there was most legal marijuana sales in August than any previous month.
Data released by the Montana Department of Revenue shows that there was $25,851,878 worth of recreational marijuana sold in August via licensed retail outlets. This is in addition to the $3,865,003 worth of medical marijuana purchased by patients, combining for a total of $29,716,881.
The sales total for August breaks the monthly record of $28,717,104 set just last month. The previous previous record was $28,697,312 in August 2023.
The year-to-date total for marijuana sales in Montana is now around $215 million, bringing all-time sales since January 2022 to $838,352,066.
August marks the 18th consecutive month that marijuana sales have surpassed $25 million.
Montana legalized recreational marijuana in 2021, with the first licensed retail outlets opening in January 2022. State laws permit individuals aged 21 and over to possess up to one ounce of marijuana. Recreational purchases are taxed at 20%, and medical purchases at 4%.
Marijuana tax revenue is distributed as follows:
- $6 million to the Healing and Ending Addiction through Recovery and Treatment (HEART) account
- 20% to Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to be used solely as funding for wildlife habitat
- 4% to the state park account
- 4% to the trails and recreational facilities account
- 4% to the nongame wildlife account
- 3% or $200,000, whichever is less, to the veterans and surviving spouses state special revenue account
- $150,000 to the board of crime control to fund crisis intervention team training for the biennium beginning July 1, 2021,
- $300,000 to the Department of Justice to administer grant funding to local and state law enforcement agencies for the purpose of purchasing and training drug detection canines and canine handlers, including canines owned by local law enforcement agencies to replace canines who were trained to detect marijuana
- The remainder to the general fund
