On November 6, 2012, Washington State voters passed Initiative 502 (I-502). The initiative makes it legal for businesses holding the appropriate cannabis license(s) to produce, process, or make retail sales of cannabis for medical and recreational uses. It is not allowed to hold a producer/processor and retailer license.

Effective April 18, 2019, all products produced under chapter 246-70 WAC are required to be tested for heavy metals and no longer required to include “Not tested for heavy metals” on the label.

In 2014, average monthly sales were $10.8 million. By 2015 average monthly sales doubled to $21.6 million. This then increased almost three-fold in 2016 to $57.6 million and to nearly $80 million in 2017, with strong demand continue in 2018 and 2019 with about $90 million a month and in 2020 and 2021 with $117.6 and $122.0 million a month. Half of 2022 showed a decline to around $110.9 million per month.

While all categories of cannabis products enjoyed healthy growth, alternative methods of consumption outpaced traditional flower sales. 28% of Washington cannabis sales were concentrates, 9.1% were edibles, and 10.6% were pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes and other products, with dried flower accounting for about 52.3%.

The total retail sales in Washington cannabis market hit $1 billion in 2018, reached $1.1 billion in 2019 and totaled $1.4 billion in 2020, 100% increase over 2016 ($691.3 million). In calendar year 2021 (January-December), cannabis sales were $1,464 million. 6 months of 2022 brought in about $665 million in retail sales.

There were 1,854 active cannabis licenses, including 889 producer/processor licenses, 481 retailer licenses, 168 producer licenses, 235 processor licenses, 23 cooperative licenses, 2 research and 10 transportation licenses in 2022.

Per RCW 69.50.535 and WAC 314-55-089, all retail licensees are required to remit to the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) an excise tax of 37% on all taxable sales of marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products.

Washington state collected $362.0 million in cannabis excise taxes in the fiscal year 2018 (ended June 2018), $387.6 million in the fiscal year 2019 (ended June 2019), $464.9 million in the fiscal year 2020 (ended June 2020), $555.4 million in the fiscal year 2021 (ended June 2021) and $511.1 million in the fiscal year 2022 (ended June 2022) according to the most recent figures.


Washington Cannabis Market Infographics


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