Colorado raking in record marijuana money again in 2019, but in era of “stabilization” industry leaders look to impact of new legislation

Three major bills passed through the General Assembly in 2019 that could change the way the cannabis industry works in the coming years

It’s become a predictable pattern in the era of legal recreational pot in Colorado. Every year, the state sets a record for marijuana sales then, 12 months later — poof — it goes up in smoke and another record is set.

It should come as no surprise then that after seeing a record $1.55 billion in sales in 2018, Colorado is on a record-setting pace in 2019.

Through the first three months of the year, combined recreational and medical cannabis sales have totaled a little less than $387 million, more than $21 million ahead of the end of March 2018, with the busy summer sales months ahead. March itself set a record for sales in a single month at more than $142 million. It beat out the previous mark of more than $141 million set in August.

“I honestly just think it’s just more people finding out about it consistently,” said Colin Patrick, general manager of the Eurflora dispensary on the 16th Street Mall. “I think that the word is just spreading. More people tuned onto it every year through education.”

A deeper look at sales data provided by the state shows another trend emerging, however. To put it in a single word, Kristi Kelly, executive director of industry lobby the Marijuana Industry Group, calls it “stabilization.”