Illinois adult-use marijuana sales drop 2% in September to $136.5M

Adult-use marijuana sales in Illinois were down a little more than 2% in September compared to the same month last year, even though businesses sold more than $1 billion worth of marijuana faster than they have in previous years.

Sales of adult-use products totaled $136.5 million last month, compared with $139.5 million in September 2023, according to data from the Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer.

Medical cannabis sales last month were significantly lower than adult use.

MMJ sales came in at $21.7 million in September, down from $26 million during the same month in 2023.

Out-of-state consumers accounted for nearly 29% of sales in Illinois, purchasing $30.4 million in cannabis products.

Illinois residents, meanwhile, purchased $106.1 million worth of products.

Total marijuana sales in Illinois hit the $1 billion mark on July 1 – more than a week earlier than when the state’s industry reached that milestone on July 10, 2023.

Although the number of marijuana products sold rose 8.6%, the total failed to reach 4 million for the first time since February and represents the smallest increase in more than a year.

The record for number of cannabis products sold, nearly 4.3 million, was set in August, according to state data.

Illinois’ 230 marijuana stores have some of the nation’s highest retail prices and taxes, which some operators say pushes consumers to neighboring Michigan, where prices and taxes are lower.