Hawaii’s medical marijuana businesses have good reason to be bullish with the approaching launch of the state’s MMJ industry: Patient counts are rising, while the number of registered caregivers growing medical cannabis for people is dwindling.
Eli McVey
Eli McVey's Latest Posts
Chart: 8 new marijuana markets slated to launch in 2018
By Eli McVey Get ready for the next iteration of the green rush. The marijuana industry is poised to grow by leaps and bounds in 2018, when at least eight of the 11 states that passed significant medical or recreational cannabis measures last year are expected to...
Chart: Licensing bottlenecks hamper growth of Massachusetts MMJ program
Still reeling from a sluggish start statewide, Massachusetts’ medical marijuana program also is hindered by local-level licensing bottlenecks that have allowed just a handful of dispensaries to open to serve nearly 35,000 MMJ patients throughout the state.
Chart: Marijuana business licensing backlog in Alaska
By Eli McVey Despite having legalized adult-use cannabis in 2014, Alaska’s recreational marijuana industry is taking much longer than expected to begin realizing its potential. An understaffed state regulatory agency has been slow to license new businesses, and...
Chart: Patient numbers, medical marijuana sales spike in New Jersey
New Jersey’s medical marijuana industry posted a banner year in 2016, with patient counts ballooning 76% and sales volume doubling thanks to a series of small changes to the state’s MMJ program and the opening of two new dispensaries.
Chart: License delays plaguing Portland, Oregon, recreational cannabis businesses
By Eli McVey Fighting a slow-moving bureaucracy, the overwhelming majority of companies seeking recreational marijuana business licenses in Portland, Oregon, are stuck in various stages of the city’s application process. It's a frustrating and potentially disastrous...
Chart: Recreational marijuana markets in Washington, Colorado still soaring
By Eli McVey Sales of recreational marijuana in the nation’s two largest and oldest adult-use markets – Colorado and Washington state – eclipsed $1.5 billion in 2016, rising a combined 66% from the previous year. The figures highlight the massive growth potential for...
Chart: Retail marijuana markups in Washington state continue to dip
By Eli McVey Washington state cannabis stores continue to face pricing pressures long after the introduction of a new tax structure sent markups plunging, reflecting an increasingly competitive business environment. According to information provided by the analytics...
Chart: Arizona growing into medical marijuana juggernaut
By Eli McVey Rather quietly, it appears, Arizona has grown into one of the largest medical cannabis markets in the nation, behind only California and Michigan in terms of patient counts. The state’s medical marijuana program added nearly 27,000 patients in 2016 - a...
Chart: Nevada medical marijuana patient counts soar, but more growth needed
By Eli McVey Nevada’s medical marijuana program is growing – with nearly 12,000 new patients joining in 2016 – but the market is still relatively small and some businesses are struggling to survive. Consider this: Nevada allows MMJ recommendations for chronic pain, a...
Chart: Colorado wholesale marijuana prices tumble in 2016
By Eli McVey Wholesale prices of medical and recreational cannabis fell precipitously in Colorado last year, highlighting the difficulties faced by cultivators looking to maintain their profit margins in one of the nation’s most mature marijuana markets. The average...
Chart: Similar support levels for marijuana, Trump in red states that voted on cannabis measures
By Eli McVey Marijuana proved to be about as popular as Donald Trump in red states that voted on cannabis ballot initiatives in November, highlighting the potential for a political backlash if the incoming president looks to crack down on the MJ industry. Five states...













