ILLINOIS (WTHI) - State leaders in Illinois are celebrating $1 billion in cannabis retail sales this year on July 1. The milestone comes earlier than expected, as last year's came on July 10.
This year's sales include more than $850 million in adult-use cannabis and nearly $150 million in medical use.
State leaders in Illinois are celebrating $1 billion in cannabis retail sales this year earlier than expected.
For the fiscal year 2024, total cannabis sales were over $2 billion; the fiscal year 2023 saw only $1.9 billion.
A complete month-by-month breakdown of cannabis sales in Illinois may be found online here.
Data from the Cannabis Regulation Oversight Office shows that Illinois residents made up 81 percent of sales through the first six months of 2024, and customers from out of state made up 19 percent.
"Growing sales in 2024 means cannabis tax revenue will continue to play a major role in righting decades of wrongs in the state's criminal justice system," said Governor JB Pritzker.
Tax revenue collected from cannabis sales has led to more than $244 million in R3 Grants for economic development, violence prevention, and youth development across the state.
Revenue also goes to the Illinois Cannabis Social Equity Loan Program, which connects people and communities historically known for receiving cannabis offenses with opportunities to get into the legal cannabis industry.That program is established by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
