Illinois Adult-Use Cannabis Sales Up 14.6% From Last April

Surrounded by five states that have yet to legalize adult-use cannabis, non-resident purchases continue to drive retail revenue at dispensaries in Illinois.

In April, more than $40.8 million, or roughly 31% of the state’s $131.8 million in adult-use cannabis sales, came from out-of-state shoppers, according to recently updated sales figures from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR).

As of last month, there were 110 licensed adult-use dispensaries serving the state, which sold more than 3.1 million cannabis items in April. With a state population of roughly 12.7 million, that means Illinois has fewer than one adult-use dispensary per 100,000 residents. By comparison, Oregon’s more mature adult-use market has roughly 18.3 dispensaries per 100,000 residents.

While IDFPR awarded 185 additional adult-use dispensary licenses in a three-part lottery last July and August, the department cannot issue those licenses until the latest lawsuit in a string of legal battles is settled.

In the meantime, the 110 active dispensaries banked $1.2 million apiece, on average, last month.

The $131.8 million in total sales in April represents a 14.6% increase from the nearly $115 million in sales from last April.

April 2022 was the second highest sales month since Illinois launched adult-use sales in January 2020, trailing only December 2021, when retailers recorded $137.9 million in sales.