Oregon’s first week of legal marijuana sales was so strong they beat Colorado and Washington state.
The state’s pharmacies have collected an estimated $11 million after just a week of recreational sales, KGW reports.
Oregon’s first week sales absolutely crush the numbers of other legal states, with Colorado generating $5 million in their first week, and Washington selling just a shadow of less than $2 million, according to CannabisNow Magazine.
In fact, Oregon’s total overshadows both numbers combined.
“It’s exciting,” a customer named Peter told KGW. “It’s just really weird. It feels like it’s not even really happening to be honest, it’s really bizarre.”
The sales totals are much more impressive considering Oregon’s population of 3.97 million, which is much smaller than Colorado (5.36 million) or Washington (7.06 million). In addition, Oregon’s potgrams are relatively cheaper at $5-15, compared to Colorado and Washington’s $20-30 per gram.
Oregon, however, prevailed in both states with opening day pharmacies.
“When Washington became legal, they had a limited number of recreation stores that sold a limited amount of product,” Taylor Choyce, co-owner of The Green Shelf in Ellensburg, Washington, told me. CannabisNow. “In Oregon, there were already hundreds, if not thousands, of medical pharmacies that can now sell to the general public. That’s why Oregon has made more initial sales than Washington.”
Colorado opened sales with just 24 pharmacies to serve statewide, while Washington only offered two stores. Oregon, meanwhile, had a whopping 280 medical marijuana dispensaries ready to sell on the first eligible day.
The state originally estimated a $9 million increase in tax revenue from legal sales during the first full year of 2017, but the Oregon Retail Cannabis Association now believes the number will be nearly three to four times that.
All Oregon recreational sales are currently tax-free until January, when a 25 percent tax is added to help fund schools and various state programs.
Until then, Oregon’s legal marijuana business will continue to bring in people who are both new and familiar with cannabis culture.
“Obviously we’re seeing a young audience, but we’re also seeing people in their 50s and 60s who would never have bought the product if it wasn’t legal,” pharmacy owner Jeff Johnson told KGW.
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