Navigation

Cheaper Cannabis Leads to Falling Revenue in Colorado Marijuana Sales

The Department of Revenue estimates that a pound of flower costs an average of $846 now, compared to $2,007 in 2015.
Jacqueline Collins

What happens on the ground matters — Your support makes it possible.

We’re aiming to raise $17,000 by August 10, so we can deepen our reporting on the critical stories unfolding right now: grassroots protests, immigration, politics and more.

Contribute Now

Progress to goal
$17,000
$3,700
Share this:
Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

Total revenue collected from legal cannabis sales in Colorado fell again in May, according to Colorado Department of Revenue data. Legal pot sales accounted for about $122.9 million in May, DOR records show, slipping over $1.4 million from April's total and dipping slightly below sales in May 2017.

This past May was the second straight month of declining sales, after Colorado saw the highest recreational sales numbers ever in March, nearly $106 million. That record-breaking retail total fell to $96.9 million in May, however, with medical sales bringing in $26.2 million. That's the lowest number for medical sales since the DOR began tracking them in 2014.

Although the continued weakening of the medical market isn't helping the industry's numbers, there are more factors at play. The DOR recently estimated that a pound of retail cannabis flower costs $846 on average, while pounds of trim average out to $404 — decreases of 16.4 and 42.3 percent, respectively, from last year. In 2015, the DOR estimated the average cost for a pound of cannabis flower at $2,007.
click to enlarge
Legal marijuana sales since 2014.
Colorado Department of Revenue