The nearly $90 million spent on marijuana products during Maryland’s first month of legal recreational sales was a big number — but it may go even higher as more people get used to the new law.
It became legal in July for people at least 21 years old to buy marijuana at dispensaries across Maryland.
“What we’ve seen is consistent with what our expectations were for the market,” said Wendy Bronfein, chief brand officer with Curio Wellness, which sells marijuana products to dispensaries.
Bronfein said the numbers were “a little weak” relative to the state of Missouri, which also legalized recreational marijuana sales this year.
While marijuana users spent $87 million in Maryland over the first month, that figure in Missouri topped $100 million during that state’s first month of sales.
“There are opportunities to enhance and improve,” Bronfein said. “While it’s a sexy topic at hand, I don’t think that there’s the awareness level that people assumed there would be, particularly a month in.”
There are currently 95 licensed cannabis dispensaries in Maryland, almost all of which have converted their licenses to selling both medical and adult-use recreational cannabis products.
Under Maryland’s recreational cannabis sales law, a 9% tax is added to adult-use sales, the same as the state’s tax on alcoholic beverage sales. The tax does not apply to sales to Maryland residents with medical marijuana cards.
“I think if the awareness can increase over the coming months, then you’ll see the sales increase as well,” Bronfein said.
Certain regional trends have started to emerge in recent weeks, according to Curio Wellness.
For example, Bronfein said dispensaries closer to D.C. have been selling larger volumes of vape and edible products when compared to other parts of Maryland.
One theory is that those products are less obvious than the regular marijuana flower, which gives off a strong odor and can easily be identified as marijuana.
“In the DMV, due to potentially a lot of government employees, that might be the reason that you’re seeing more discreet purchasing than something like smoking flower, which is less discreet,” Bronfein said.
WTOP spoke to customers at a Silver Spring, Maryland, dispensary on Friday, and they said things have been going better than expected so far.
“It’s very clean and very organized,” said Stephen Schantz. “It’s never been crowded. I’ve never had to wait in line more than one or two people.”
Maura, who asked that her last name not be used, said “it doesn’t feel sketchy, and I feel a lot safer.”
She added, “I’m so excited we finally have done it.”
