Legislation is sweeping the nation state by state in allowing new cannabis businesses to operate. Each state has their own variations of rules on how many licenses are allowed, how those licenses are allowed to operate, and all of the tracking requirements for cannabis products. The number of approved licenses changes monthly however here is a snapshot of the current licenses by state as of August 2021.
Number of Licenses: 0
Alabama, like many conservative states, has long been against legalization of Marijuana, but it took a step in the right direction this year by approving SB 46. The Alabama senate approved the bill in a 20-10 vote to legalize medical marijuana, but it does come with many limitations. The bill also prohibits raw cannabis, smoking, vaping and candy or baked good products. And Physicians will have to take a $500 course just to be able to recommend cannabis to their patient.
Number of Licenses: 160
Alaska is the first red state to legalize and license on-site consumption of marijuana at cannabis stores. The vote to legalize marijuana passed in November 2014 but the first cannabis dispensary took over a year to open and the first Alaskan owned dispensary didn’t open till October 2016
Number of Licenses: 130
Arizona first voted to legalize medical Marijuana in 2010. Ex-gov Jan Brewer had tried to sue the state, seeking a declaratory judgment but her lawsuit was rejected in 2012. Arizona voters spoke up once again in 2020 with proposition 207. Proposition 207 collected over 420,000 signatures! This led to possession and cultivation of recreational cannabis becoming legal in November 2020.
Number of Licenses: 36
Arkansas made history in 2016 when it became the first deep south state to legalize the use of medical marijuana. It didn’t come easy as there were many lawsuits that followed, but the people had spoken in a 53-47 percent margin, they wanted cannabis legal for medicinal use. Since then, Arkansas has spent over $242 million to obtain 36,656 pounds of pot. We remain optimistic that there’s more to come as organizations like ‘Arkansas True Grass' continue to gather signatures to put recreational marijuana on the ballot for the 2022 election.
Number of Licenses: 774
California’s legal marijuana sales in the year 2019 went over $3 billion dollars, making the golden state the world’s largest market for recreational marijuana. According to the California State Board of Equalization, there are over 500 marijuana clubs/dispensaries in California that bring in an estimated $870 million to $2 billion in revenue annually. California was one of the first states to legalize marijuana for medical use under the Compassionate Use Act of 1996. With the growth of marijuana market California had to change its way of regulating cannabis by merging the three state cannabis programs into a single new state department called the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC). DCC now licenses and regulates all commercial cannabis activity in California.
Number of Licenses: 825
Marijuana first became legal for medical use in 2000. Twelve years later Colorado voted to legalize recreational use with Amendment 64. The law allowed cities and counties to decide for themselves if they will permit recreational stores. But it didn’t allow consumption in the cannabis retail store for many years. The first licensed Marijuana Consumption Establishment opened in Denver in February 2018. Cannabis sales have reached over $7.79 billion ever since legalization in 2012.
Number of Licenses: 18
Early this year, in June 2021 state Legislature approved the legalization of cannabis for recreational use. The law allows possession of up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis and cultivation of marijuana by adults and 5 ounces of flower if locked and stored in your place of residence or locked in the glove box/trunk of your car. Connecticut is one of the few states where medical marijuana sales are not taxed. As for taxes for recreational use, CannaBeSecure is predicting tax revenue at $15.7 million come 2023 and around $60 million the following year.
Number of Licenses: 6
There are just six medical marijuana providers in Delaware right now, but a House Bill 150 legislation is attempting to add an additional 30 retail, 30 manufacturing and 60 cultivating licenses. The bill has been voted out of Committee, now placed on the Ready list. Delaware’s cannabis market launched in 2014 and has shown remarkable growth with sales projected to be $37.3 million in 2021, a 35% increase from last year.
Number of Licenses: 7
Medical marijuana has been legal in D.C since 1998, but there were many efforts to thwart its progression. Congress prevented the opening of dispensaries and delayed availability so much so that the first legal medical dispensary didn’t open till 2013. A year later the city legalized recreational pot with The Safe Cannabis Sales Act introduced in February 2021. The bill came with a massive 17% sales tax but on the positive side it took steps to reverse the abuse of previous cannabis-related law enforcement actions against low-income communities of color.
Number of Licenses: 361
Although Florida has only allowed the sale of medical marijuana through the passage of the Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act in 2014, it is still ranked 3rd in the country for Cannabis sales. In 2020 it sales were estimated to be at $1.3 billion with nearly 15,000 employees. There were a few legislation proposals this year (SB 710/ HB 343) that would have allowed recreational use - adults 21 and over to possess up to 2.5 ounces of smokable cannabis, but both proposals died in the Professions & Public Health Subcommittee in April 2021.
Number of Licenses: 0
Cannabis is illegal for recreational use in Georgia, but in 2019 the state approved limited medical use of marijuana. The program has been slow to launch and under the program, six producers will be allowed to produce cannabis oil with a THC cap of 5%. Cities in Georgia like Atlanta, Savannah, South Fulton and others have decriminalized small amounts of marijuana possession.
Number of Licenses: 15
Governor Ben Cayetano signed SB 862 into law in June of 2000 thus legalizing medical marijuana, but patients had no legal way to obtain the drug until Maui Grown Therapies opened in August 2017. The most recently available marijuana data according to MarijuanaDoctors indicated that there are over 8000 medical marijuana patients in Hawaii. Early 2021, the Hawaii Senate approved bills to legalize cannabis, unfortunately, the bills failed to move past a House committee deadline of March 18, 2021. Luckily it’s not the end for SB 767 & SB 758, the committee will pick up where they left off when the legislature reconvenes in 2022.
Number of Licenses: 0
Anything with a trace of THC is completely illegal in Idaho and to make matters worse in February the state Senate voted to write cannabis prohibition into the Constitution, which would effectively prevent residents from voting to legalize it. Idaho is known to be one of the most severe states when it comes to punishment. Possession of even small amounts of cannabis is a misdemeanor crime.
Number of Licenses: 109
Illinois is having a good year after becoming legal for recreational sales in January 2020. According to the latest data available from the state’s Department of Revenue, Illinois recorded nearly $115 million in sales in the month of April alone and broke the state’s all-time record in July with nearly $128 million in total recreational receipts. The Senate also passed a bill earlier this year creating new licenses and lotteries for marijuana dispensaries. The bill is also looking to solve issues that have stifled the process since the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Number of Licenses: 0
Possession of marijuana is fully illegal in Indiana, and is considered a misdemeanor crime, punishable by up to 180 days in jail and fines of $1,000. During the 2021 legislative session, several cannabis reform bills were introduced, but unfortunately, none of the bills received a hearing before their respective legislative deadlines. Now, we look to 2022 to continue the effort to reform Indiana’s outdated cannabis laws.
Number of Licenses: 4
The Medical Cannabidiol Program in Iowa is known to be the most stringent medical cannabis program in the US. Even though most Iowans support expanding medicinal cannabis and legalizing recreational use, it seems to have reached a standstill. In September 2020 an exception was applied to the Controlled Substances Act, but it has remained in limbo with the department pointing to the Biden Administration to do something and the Biden Administration pointing back.
Number of Licenses: 0
Currently Cannabis, whether medicinal or recreational use is illegal and possession, with the exception of THC free cannabidiol oil, is a misdemeanor. But there is some good news, just this year the Kansas House of Representatives approved a bill to legalize medical cannabis. The bill will be reviewed by the senate when the House/Senate resumes in January 2022.
Number of Licenses: 0
Kentucky has been cultivating industrial hemp for fiber since 1775, but cannabis is illegal for recreational use. Only non-psychoactive CBD oil is permitted. According to the latest Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP), nine in 10 Kentucky adults favor legalizing marijuana for medical purposes and the bill to make it happen isn’t having much luck. Even with the Kentucky House of Representatives voting 65-30 in early 2020 to pass a medical cannabis bill, HB 136, the Senate adjourned for the year without voting on the bill and when they reconvened in 2021 the Senate rejected it. There have been other attempts to introduce medical cannabis legislation but none have advanced.
Number of Licenses: 9
Early this year Gov. John Bel Edwards signed a decriminalization bill, HB 652 into law. Starting August 1, Louisianans will no longer be incarcerated for possessing small amounts of cannabis. Also, the penalty for possessing up to 14 grams (or 0.49 oz.) of cannabis has been reduced to a fine of up to $100. There are currently 9 pharmacies within the state dispensing THC products and a 10th pharmacy license could be issued as needed.
Number of Licenses: 53
On November 8, 2016, Maine voted to legalize marijuana for recreational use and its market growth has been exponential ever since. Retail sales reached $6.47 million in June 2021 and according to the Portland Press Herald, cannabis is the state’s biggest crop and worth more than other leading farm products such as potatoes, milk, hay and blueberries.
Number of Licenses: 96
Maryland made medical marijuana legal in December 2017 and ever since the program launched Maryland has sold over $1 billion worth of medical cannabis. The Senate Finance Committee held a hearing in March on a legalization bill, SB 708. The bill would allow adults 21 and older to purchase and possess up to four ounces of marijuana or products containing up to 1,500 milligrams of THC. Maryland voters can expect to see questions of marijuana legalization as a referendum on the 2022 ballot.
Number of Licenses: 198
Massachusetts first decriminalized possession in 2008 and four year later gave permission for medicinal cannabis with recreational use not far behind. Ever since the first cannabis retail store opened in 2018, two years after it was legalized, sales have been quite impressive. Retail stores racked up a gross total of $394,333,153.80 in sales from their first full year of operation.
Number of Licenses: 484
Michigan was the first Midwest state to legalize marijuana for recreational use thanks to Proposal 1 which passed with 55.9% approval in 2018. Michigan’s first adult-use cannabis stores opened in December 2019 and it’s economy has continued to thrive ever since. There are over 18,000 cannabis jobs in Michigan and 9,216 of them were added in 2020 alone.
Number of Licenses: 13
In Minnesota cannabis has been decriminalized for possession of small amounts since the 1970s. In 2014 it was approved for medicinal use for certain conditions. The Medical cannabis law is one of the nation’s most restrictive because it only allows for the delivery of cannabis in liquid, oil and pill forms. Early this year Gov Tim Walz signed a legislation into law to include dried raw cannabis. This law has yet to take effect and regulators have until March 2022 to establish regulations.
Number of Licenses: 0
In Mississippi possession of small amounts of cannabis has long been decriminalized, since 1978. But Mississippi still has hurdles to climb when it comes to legalizing it. In November 2020 Mississippi voters approved Amendment 65, a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment to legalize medical cannabis, but the Mayor of Madison Mississippi sued the state to nullify the ballot measure. Unfortunately the State’s Supreme court sided with the mayor and struck down the medical cannabis law.
Number of Licenses: 136
Missouri’s medical cannabis market launched in October 2020, 2 years after it was approved for medicinal use. Soon after its launch Missouri has seen great earnings with the industry generating nearly $16.5 million in June alone. In less than a year the cannabis industry in Missouri has earned over $70 million according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. These sales numbers are tied to the patient demand with over 65, 000 patients approved in 2020 and 10,000 more applicants still being processed according to the Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association.
Number of Licenses: 52
In 2020 Montana was one of the 4 states that voted in favor to legalize recreational use, other states included Arizona, New Jersey and South Dakota. However retail dispensaries won’t open until 2022 as lawmakers are still working to establish regulations. Existing dispensaries can only sell cannabis to Montana residents with a medical marijuana card. It is illegal to sell it to those without a medical marijuana card until Jan. 1, 2022.
Number of Licenses: 0
Cannabis in Nebraska is fully illegal, the only leniency given is that first time offenders caught with possession of a small amount will have punishment reduced to a civil infraction. The latest attempt to pass a medical cannabis program, LB 474 failed by only two votes and so supporters for medical cannabis laws are working on a 2022 ballot as the fight continues for medical legalization.
Number of Licenses: 89
Cannabis is fully legal in Nevada, starting with medical in 2000 and recreational use following in 2014 through a ballot measure. The cannabis industry is quite successful in Nevada as sales grew by 30% between 2018 - 2020, with monthly sales averaging over $60million. Earlier this year the Senate passed an assembly bill 341 with an overwhelming support of 17-3, this bill will offer two new types of marijuana business licenses related to consumption lounges. One for same property retail/consumption lounge and one for stand-alones.
Number of Licenses: 9
Cannabis is allowed for medical use only, this law was passed through legislation in 2013. The medical marijuana market has steadily grown since made legal with the help of state policies that have expanded the program’s eligibility requirements. Another senate Bill 162 is looking to make purchasing easier for patients by giving in-state patients the ability to buy from any dispensary they want rather than having to pick a specific center and sticking to it as the current law mandates.
Number of Licenses: 19
In November 2020 voters approved a referendum with a margin of 66.3% to 33.7% to legalize recreational Marijuana. An amendment legalizing cannabis became part of the state constitution on January 1, 2021 and was signed into law by Gov Phil Murphy on February 22, 2021. Local governments have until Aug. 21 to either ban cannabis businesses in their town or pass a local law welcoming and regulating adult-use marijuana. Marijuana Business Daily projects the adult-use market will generate $850 million to $950 million in annual retail sales by 2024.
Number of Licenses: 113
Cannabis is legal for both medicinal and recreational sales as of April 2021. Recreational use bill was passed through legislature and a committee is required to be formed by September 1st 2021. The “Cannabis Regulatory Advisory Committee” will create rules related to cannabis and also promote economic and cultural diversity to ensure all communities in New Mexico have a chance to be a part of the growing cannabis industry.
Number of Licenses: 38
New York joined the growing number of US regulated marijuana markets in March 2021. It will take about 18 months for adult-use sales to go into effect, but estimates put the state’s total cannabis market at $4.6 billion in annual sales. New York’s cannabis program incorporates one of the nation’s strongest social justice components. Promising to eliminate all penalties/past convictions for possession of less than three ounces and also 50% of all new licenses are planned to be awarded to equity applicants.
Number of Licenses: 0
Recreational and medical marijuana are illegal in the state of North Carolina but there have been many attempts to legalize it. In 1977, North Carolina followed many other states in decriminalizing the plant, but not much changed until almost 4 decades later when lawmakers finally introduced a medical marijuana bill in 2014. Unfortunately the bill failed so badly that the Committee banned any sort of medical or recreational cannabis bill consideration for two years. North Carolina is making another attempt, Sen. Bill Rabon, one of the top Republicans in the state Senate, introduced the Compassionate Care Act in April 2021, which would legalize cannabis for certain medicinal uses. The bill is currently in committee.
Number of Licenses: 8
North Dakota voters approved Measure 5, establishing a medical cannabis program for their state in 2016. There was a slight setback in 2017 when both houses of the state legislature passed changes to Measure 5, most notable was the removal of a provision allowing medical cannabis users to grow their own marijuana. Still, patient growth in North Dakota has been robust in 2020, with close to 1,000 new patients added since the end of 2019 according to MJBizDaily.
Number of Licenses: 57
Cannabis for medicinal use was legalized in 2016 but sales took a bit longer to launch, first sales didn’t occur till early 2019. The growth of patient registration has caused the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy to consider a rule change that would remove a cap on the number of dispensaries allowed in the state. There have been attempts to reform Ohio’s cannabis policies. During the 2020 Election, voters in four Ohio cities approved cannabis decriminalization measures. The Ohio Senate passed the bill (24-5) to double the amount of cannabis considered for a misdemeanor offense (carrying no jail time) from 100 to 200 grams, but ultimately, the bill died as a result of inaction at the end of 2020.
Number of Licenses: 2308
Oklahoma’s medical marijuana program has thrived since voters approved State Question 788 in June 2018. Oklahoma has one of the largest programs in the country with over 380,000 active patient licenses, and more than 10,000 registered medical cannabis businesses. Oklahoma also added thousands of new jobs and local employment thanks to the bustling legal medical cannabis industry. More good news for Oklahoma, in September 2018, the Oklahoma City Council approved reducing the penalty for simple possession of marijuana to a fine of up to $400 instead of its past penalty of $1,200 and six months of Jail time.
Number of Licenses: 756
Oregon has been ahead of the cannabis movement. Oregon was the first state to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of cannabis, and among the first to approve for medical use. In fact, from 1999 - 2005, the ratio of Oregonians using cannabis outpaced the general United States population by 32–45%. The recent pandemic didn’t slow things down either, Oregon marijuana sales exceed over $1 billion in 2020 and there are no signs of it slowing down.
Number of Licenses: 129
The Governor signed Act 16 into law in 2016, the law allowed for the sale of cannabis for medicinal use. By 2018 important improvements were made to the law to expand upon qualifying conditions and also including flower as an accepted form. 2018 was also when dispensaries finally began selling to patients and caregivers. An interesting fact is that Pennsylvania requires medical marijuana to be grown indoors. Indoor growing produces better quality and purity because growers have greater control over the crop. But it is also very expensive to maintain, which is why medical marijuana in Pennsylvania is one of the most costly of businesses to run in the U.S.
Number of Licenses: 3
Medical Marijuana was legalized through legislation with the Medical Marijuana Act in 2006. Fifteen years later, Rhode Island could soon become the 20th state in the nation to legalize recreational cannabis for adults. The legislation, which passed in a 29-9 vote this year, will allow adults 21 and over to purchase and possess up to one ounce of cannabis. If approved, regulators would also be tasked with reviewing data annually to determine the maximum number of licenses that shall be issued to meet the production demands.
Number of Licenses: 0
Cannabis is illegal for both recreational and medicinal use in South Carolina, with the slight exception for low-THC CBD oil for certain medical conditions. Republican lawmakers in South Carolina have prefilled legislation to legalize medical marijuana in the state this year as survey have found that 72 percent support reform, while just 15 percent are opposed. South Carolina laws are one of the strictest in the U.S. According to Post and Courier South Carolina has the nation’s second-highest arrest rate for marijuana possession as well as a growing racial disparity in these arrests.
Number of Licenses: 0
South Dakota has some of the strictest marijuana laws in the nation and Gov. Kristi Noem wants to keep it that way. During the 2021 South Dakota legislative session, Gov. Kristi Noem, House Speaker Spencer Gosch, and their legislative allies attempted to severely delay the implementation of the medical marijuana law established by Measure 26 but in the end, a large number of South Dakota legislators rejected the delays and South Dakotans proved victorious. Still South Dakota has a long way to go. There are no legal dispensaries for medical marijuana and those with prescriptions from out of state are not protected for any in-state purchases. Also, possession of any amounts of edibles, flower, and concentrates is a Class 4 felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $20,000.
Number of Licenses: 0
Cannabis is illegal for both medical and recreational use. There is somewhat of a medical cannabis program approved by law, but it only allows patients suffering from epileptic seizures to access just CBD oil with extremely low THC and marijuana extract. To make things harder, there aren't any dispensaries in Tennessee, patients have to travel out of state to obtain it. Yet, according to Nashville Scene more than 400,000Tennasseans smoke marijuana over the course of a month, and more than 700,000 use it over the course of the year.
Number of Licenses: 3
Since 1931 it is and still is illegal to use or possess marijuana. Even low-level marijuana possession is classified as a criminal misdemeanor, punishable by up to 180 days incarceration, a $2,000 fine, and a criminal record. In 2019 Texas lawmakers approved a very meager reform that allows the use of low-THC products (1% THC Cap) for medical use, but with very strict conditions. This new law has actually thrown many prosecution cases into disarray and enforcement can vary greatly depending on where you live in Texas, making them one of only 14 states with no effective medical cannabis law.
Number of Licenses: 14
Marijuana was added to Utah’s list of banned intoxicants in 1915. In 2016 the state approved the use of CBD oil, this paved the way for medical legalization. On November 6, 2018, 53% of Utah voters approved the Medical Cannabis Act. This was a major victory for medical marijuana advocates in Utah who fought for years to establish a compassionate program. In March 2020 Utah’s first medical cannabis dispensary opened its doors in Salt Lake City and many improvements have followed. Patients can now get medical cannabis delivered at home or pick it up via a drive-through. These changes are an indication of a thriving industry as monthly sales now exceed $2 million, putting Utah’s MMJ program on pace to generate about $25 million in sales annually.
Number of Licenses: 7
Medical marijuana was legalized in Vermont, in 2004, after the passing of the “Act Relating to Marijuana Use by Persons with Severe Illness.” After the passing of the bill, the Act became effective without the Governor’s signature. It was further amended in 2011, authorizing the establishment of four state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries. In 2018 cannabis became legal for possession and cultivation for adults 21 and older. Soon after Vermont passed another bill S. 54 in 2020 that made it the 11th state to regulate adult-use cannabis sales and the second state to do so legislatively rather than by voter initiative. Retail sales are expected to begin in the fall of 2022.
Number of Licenses: 4
Early this year, Virginia became the first state in the South to legalize adult-use cannabis. The law officially took effect on July 1, 2021. Adults can now legally possess and share up to one ounce of cannabis and cultivate up to four cannabis plants at their primary residence. The law authorized the creation of the Cannabis Control Authority (CCA) to regulate the marijuana industry, including issuing licenses for businesses. The CCA will not complete marijuana regulations or begin accepting applications for businesses before 2023.
Number of Licenses: 476
On December 6, 2012, Washington became the first U.S. state to legalize recreational use of marijuana and the second to allow recreational marijuana sales. The first legal non-medical cannabis retail stores in Washington opened in July of 2014, after many months of planning, licensing, and rule-making. According to Statista, Retail sales of cannabis have grown every year in the state of Washington since legalization. In 2020, retail sales topped 1.2 billion U.S. dollars.
Number of Licenses: 0
In April 2017 West Virginia passed a medical cannabis law and became the 29th state to do so. The bill was strongly favored, passing senate 28-6 votes and house 76-24 votes. Initially the medical cannabis law had many restrictions, but a recent amendment in 2020 now allows whole-plant cannabis, dry leaf or plant form to its accepted forms of medicinal cannabis possessions. Cannabis is still illegal for recreational use and possession of small amounts is a misdemeanor punishable by 90 days - 6 months imprisonment and up to $1,000 in fine.
Number of Licenses: 0
Wisconsin was the nation's leading hemp producer during the 1940s and home to the nation's last hemp-producing company (Rens Hemp Company) prior to federal prohibition. Yet, Wisconsin is also one of 14 states that lack a compassionate medical cannabis law. A surprise to many as Wisconsin’s population have shown increasing support in their ballots for medical cannabis related measures. The latest attempt by Gov. Evers in 2018 unfortunately failed as every Republican member voted to scrap the compassionate program from the governor's budget proposal.
Number of Licenses: 0
Recreational and medical use of cannabis is fully illegal in Wyoming, but there has been a steady increase in support for medicinal cannabis and decriminalization. Though all attempts thus far have unfortunately failed. The more recent of which were two cannabis reform ballot measures that were formally approved by the Wyoming Secretary of State’s office. One measure would have legalized medical cannabis in the state, while the other would have decriminalized possession and cultivation of cannabis. The full House chamber took up neither bill before its deadline and so supporters have started to look to 2022 to try again.
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