From smoking, vaping, dabbing and eating the Arizonans have consumed a record high of 61 tons of marijuana products in the previous year. This was revealed when the state’s Department of Health Services published their annual end year report. The report showed that Arizona dispensaries sold a whopping 2.5 tons of edibles last year. This is the total of what all medical marijuana products sold in 2012 in Arizona.
In 2012 there were about 40,000 patients but last month the state listed over 186,000 active patients. This is a 22% increase from 2017. The report further analyzed that the patients bought 56 tons of weed buds from dispensaries in 2018. Another 2.5 tons were sold as edibles and another 2.5 tons or so sold as other marijuana products.
What Does This Mean to Arizona?
This huge increase of sales defied experts’ expectations despite the Arizona Court of Appeals ruling. The ruling stated that these products were not covered by the protection’s law of 2010. However, the ruling took a while, but this did not stop Arizonans from selling, buying and consuming marijuana products through 2018.
Last week the ruling came stating that it will review the appellate decision. If the court upholds the decision the following year’s marijuana sales will be significantly lower.
Keven DeMenna who is a lobby for Arizona Dispensaries Association said,” the ability to support the market is strong and private share is still flowing into this new market.”
“This market is very strong and still holds great potential,” he continued to say.
Keven DeMenna said that he is positive that the growth of Arizona’s medical marijuana industry is set to continue in 2019. New legislation this year will boost the industry with new rules and regulations on examining for contaminants or even lower card fees.
