Marijuana Business Magazine - January 2017

CANNABUS¬NESS BY THE NUMBERS N evada’s recreational marijuana industry is off to a sizzling start. After voters legalized adult-use cannabis in the 2016 election, Nevada regulators authorized an “early start” to the rec program that allowed licensed medical marijuana dispensaries to begin adult-use cannabis sales July 1. While a legal entanglement between the state and an alcohol wholesalers group over transportation rights complicated the program’s early rollout, sales blew away initial projections. Here’s a closer look at the first two months of rec- reational cannabis sales in Nevada: Jackpot! A look at Nevada's soaring rec market Sources: Nevada Department of Taxation, World Atlas Number of estimated visitors who visited Las Vegas in 2016, the seventh-highest among all cities in the United States Total recreational marijuana sales during July and August, the first two months of Nevada's “early start” program Number of dispensaries licensed to sell adult-use marijuana in Nevada – in other words, nearly all of the 60 licensed MMJ dispensaries throughout the state $60M 43M 58 Average monthly rec sales in Nevada – double the average monthly sales in Colorado two months after that state’s adult-use program launched in early 2014 $30M 10 • Marijuana Business Magazine • January 2018