Puerto Rico Cannabis Market: Legalization

In 2015, Puerto Rico adopted regulations to allow for the cultivation, manufacturing, and distribution of medical cannabis. In 2017, Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello has signed into law an updated medical cannabis statute, which replaced the original executive order and set up a legal framework for Puerto Rico cannabis industry. In 2018, Regulation 9038 further specified the requirements for authorized physicians and allowed for Puerto Rican dispensaries to serve registered patients from US states or other countries where medical marijuana is legal.

Puerto Rico Cannabis Market: Stats and Projections

In 2021, the number of certified medicinal cannabis patients has jumped to more than 200,000, based on data released by Puerto Rico’s Medicinal Cannabis Regulatory Board (MCRB), up by about 70% when compared to the 114,521 on record for 2020.

According to the Puerto Rico Department of Treasury, medical cannabis sales in Puerto Rico have increased 1,700% since 2018, from $12.7 million in sales in 2018 to $229.2 million in 2021. In 2022, Puerto Rico had about $250 million in estimated annual medical cannabis sales, as reported by Forbes.

Since the establishment of the industry in 2017 with the passage of Act 42, the Cannabis Regulating Board has issued 340 licenses for cannabis dispensaries as of January 1, 2024. Because of the state restriction on smoking, about 34% of products sold in Puerto Rico were edibles comparing to the country’s average 17%.


Puerto Rico Cannabis Industry Infographics


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