Recreational marijuana sales in Illinois set another record in May with more than $116 million of weed sold, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation reported Wednesday.
That tops last month’s record by $1.4 million, and is up 163% from May 2020.
Last month, the state’s 110 dispensaries sold more than 2.5 million recreational weed products, with in-state residents spending about $80 million and out-of-state customers accounting for nearly $37 million, according to the state.
Illinois has yet to release medical marijuana sales for May.
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The state legalized recreational cannabis use in January 2020. Total sales reached $1.03 billion last year, including $669 million in recreational weed and more than $366 million in medical sales.
The pace is accelerating this year, with more than $510 million in recreational sales alone through May, compared with $192 million in 2020’s first five months.
The state’s retail footprint is expected to grow significantly, providing another potential catalyst for increased sales.
Last week, Illinois legislators approved a bill to add 110 new recreational cannabis dispensary licenses. Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Friday he plans to sign the measure into law.
A long-delayed lottery to award 75 new licenses with a social equity focus is likely to move forward this year after the state gave hundreds of unsuccessful applicants a second chance to qualify. The new legislation would add another 55 licenses to a second chance lottery for the same applicants.
Recreational marijuana use is legal in 17 states and Washington, D.C., and sales are growing rapidly. A recent report by cannabis research firm Headset projects legal U.S. weed sales to hit $22.8 billion this year and $28.3 billion in 2022, a 24% annual growth rate.