Marijuana Sales Soar During Corona Virus Pandemic

Nearly $36 million worth of recreational marijuana products were sold in Illinois in March 2020, according to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. (Shutterstock) CHICAGO — Despite a looming public health emergency and a statewide order shuttering nonessential retailers, legal sales of recreational marijuana in Illinois increased slightly in March compared with February, state regulators said. Cannabis customers spent nearly $36 million, before taxes, at the state's pot shops last month. That represents an increase of more than $1 million compared with the prior month, according to figures from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. The figures do not include marijuana sold to medical cannabis cardholders. Although nearly 20,000 fewer individual items were sold in the third month of cannabis legalization in Illinois, they had higher average prices. And while sales to out-of-state residents decreased, the increase from Illinoisans more than made up for the decline. During the first quarter of adult-use cannabis sales, nearly $110 million of marijuana products were sold. Total tax revenue numbers were not immediately available but likely exceed $25 million. "Three straight months of consistent adult use cannabis sales show there is — and will continue to be — strong support and demand from consumers," Toi Hutchinson, the governor's senior cannabis adviser, said in a Thursday release announcing the March sales totals.