John SchroyerIllinois total marijuana sales were up in 2024 to just over $2 billion, an increase from $1.96 billion recorded in 2023, according to newly released state data.
According to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, adult-use retailers in the state sold $1.72 billion in cannabis last year, and the state’s 55 medical dispensaries added another $285 million, bringing the grand total to $2.007 billion.
While the uptick wasn’t as much as some had forecast last year, it’s still noteworthy that the maturing market continues to grow, particularly as other mature cannabis markets have been experiencing sales downturns.
Sales for the month of December were $153.2 million on the recreational side, with 4.5 million units sold, which made it the top sales month of the year. For medical, sales were $23.4 million, which included $11.1 million in dry flower and another $12.3 million in concentrates and edibles.
The recreational market has continued to blossom year-over-year, going from $669 million in sales in its first year back in 2020, to $1.3 billion in 2021, to $1.5 billion in 2022, and up to $1.6 billion in 2023 before reaching new heights in 2024.
The medical market, meanwhile, has continued to steadily shrink. In 2023, sales were $324.7 million, in 2022 sales were $353.6 million, and in 2021 medical sales were $397.2 million.
