With its earning power under a microscope since the debut of legal sales, pot and the money it brings in continue to make headlines. While anyone interested in learning the state's sales figures could calculate those numbers based on cannabis sales-tax rates and revenue data, the DOR's decision now makes checking in on Colorado's new economy much easier.
“We know this information is highly desired by the general public, media and researchers," DOR executive director Mike Hartman says in an announcement of the new system. "To that end, in our efforts to be as transparent as possible, we will now provide aggregate sales data. That, coupled with state tax revenue data already provided, will give an accurate picture of the financial footprint of this burgeoning industry.”
Colorado has sold over $4.2 billion worth of cannabis since 2014, according to DOR data.
Colorado Department of Revenue
Dispensaries in Denver County accounted for nearly 40 percent of October sales, the data shows, responsible for nearly half of the state's $34 million in medical sales and over a third of its $93.6 million in retail sales. The new web page also includes helpful graphics with updated sales information, including a line graph of bi-monthly sales info from the past four years.
The graph shows a steady dip in overall sales each year once the summer months come to an end, which is largely driven by a decrease in the retail side once the big tourism season is over. According to cannabis data-analysis firm BDS Analytics, seven of 2016's highest-earning weekends for Colorado dispensaries fell in summer months, and only one came after September.
