Third year and running of record-setting cannabis sales

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (“IDFPR”) announced on Jan. 11 that adult use cannabis sales set a new annual record in 2023, exceeding $1.6 billion. Records were also set in sales to in-state residents and the number of items sold, with that total increasing more than 15 percent compared to 2022. Sales taxes collected at Illinois adult use cannabis dispensaries totaled $417.6 million in 2023, per the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR).

“From day one, my administration has put equity first to build the most accessible cannabis industry in the nation,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Our work will continue to repair past harm while providing opportunities for communities across the state and creating a more prosperous future.”

In total, 42,124,741 items were sold in Illinois adult use cannabis dispensaries in 2023. In addition, state resident sales totaled $1,226,855,768.68, which represents an increase of more than 14 percent from 2022 and is also higher than the growth experienced in the previous year. This included a new record for sales in a month, as December’s sales totaled almost $154 million, exceeding the previous record of Dec. 2022 by more than $10 million. As additional states join in legalizing adult use cannabis, sales to out-of-state residents totaled $408,126,252.05 in 2023, a decrease of 14 percent.

“These statistics show encouraging progress that is a testament to the hard work by the Pritzker Administration, lawmakers, and stakeholders in ensuring we create a process that’s accessible to everyone, no matter their gender, race, or where in Illinois they call home,” said IDFPR Secretary Mario Treto, Jr. There are currently 177 adult-use cannabis dispensaries in Illinois, including 67 social equity dispensaries that have opened their doors. One hundred thirty-three applicants selected in the 2022 social equity lotteries are still in the process of receiving their full dispensary licenses from IDFPR, as are 55 applicants selected in the Social Equity Criteria Lottery (“SECL”) in July 2023. The Department will continue to issue full adult use cannabis dispensary licenses as applicants continue to meet the final licensing criteria. Dispensaries may begin adult use cannabis sales once they receive their full license from IDFPR.