The number of medical cannabis patients in Colorado continues to grow, despite the introduction of recreational marijuana this year.
According to the Colorado Department of Public Health, the state’s patient registry grew by 1,767 patients in March, bringing the total to 115,208 active members. The growth came even though roughly 1,900 patients left the registry or let their cards expire during the month.
Curiously, medical marijuana sales actually dipped in March on a month-over-month basis despite the growth in patient numbers.
According to the latest stats, the average age of patients with MMJ cards in Colorado is 42 years old; 66% of cardholders are male; 60% live in the Denver-metro area; and 285 total patients are under the age of 18.
Severe pain is the primary ailment treated by medical marijuana, with 94% of all patients reporting this condition. And 56% designate a caregiver or a dispensary to grow their medical marijuana, meaning 44% grow their own.
