HARTFORD — The Department of Consumer Protection announced today that new preliminary data shows combined sales for adult-use cannabis and medical marijuana totaled more than $27.5 million for the period from December 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023, the highest single-month total since the opening of the market.
The adult-use market recorded more than $17.1 million in sales during the month of December, while the medical marijuana market recorded more than $10.3 million in sales for the same period.
“One year ago, the state of Connecticut opened an entirely new market, creating jobs, opportunity, and a safe, regulated way for adults to purchase cannabis,” said DCP Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli. “This was no small task, and the team at DCP launched this new market in a thoughtful, measured way. Since then, many new businesses have opened and more are on the way. We are proud of the work carried out by our agency over the past year, and we are looking forward to continued growth, fair regulation, collaboration with our sister agencies, and thoughtful problem solving as new challenges present themselves in the years to come.”
“Our team has worked diligently over the past year to continue reviewing and approving provisional and final license applications, as well as more than 4,600 new brand and product registrations,” said DCP Drug Control Director Rodrick Marriott. “The addition of the seed-to-sale tracking program during the market launch has been a valuable resource in evaluating market trends and fluctuations, and as more data is collected, will continue to provide insight into the growth of the industry as we gain year-over-year data.”
Since the launch of the market on Jan. 10, 2023, 19 new retail and hybrid retail establishments have opened, as well as one Disproportionately Impacted Area Cultivator and one micro-cultivator, which is an Equity Joint Venture. Two licensed delivery services have also opened, providing greater access to patients and consumers.
An additional 94 provisional licenses have been issued across all license types. Licenses issued prior to July 1, 2023, expire two years after the date they were issued, while licenses issued after July 1, 2023, expire after 14 months. The number and type of licenses issued to date are detailed in the chart below.
| License Type | Final License Issued | Provisional License Issued, but Not Final License |
| Producers | 4 (conversion) | N/A |
| DIA Cultivator | 1 | 11 |
| Micro-cultivator | 1 (EJV) | 5 (1 EJV, 4 Lottery) |
| Dispensary Facility (MMP only) | 3 (legacy) | N/A |
| Hybrid Retailer (AUC and MMP) | 19 (15 conversion, 3 EJV, 1 Social Equity Lottery) | 11 (8 EJV, 3 Lottery) |
| Retailer (AUC Only) | 9 (EJV) | 29 (16 EJV, 13 Lottery) |
| Food and Beverage Manufacturer | 0 | 10 (all lottery) |
| Product Manufacturer | 0 | 7 (all lottery) |
| Product Packager | 0 | 7 (all lottery) |
| Delivery Service | 2 (EJV, Social Equity Lottery) | 10 (all lottery) |
| Transporter | 0 | 4 (all lottery) |
| Total | 39 Final | 94 Provisional |
December Data
In December, medical marijuana patients purchased 291,113 products, and adult-use consumers purchased 453,944 products. The average product price for medical marijuana patients was $34.94 in December, while the average price of adult-use products was $34.94.
In December, 45 percent of sales were usable cannabis, or flower, while vapes made up 35 percent of sales. Edible products represented 13 percent of sales.
This data was collected through the state’s Seed-to-Sale Tracking System. DCP does not make revenue projections, set sales expectations, collect taxes, or regulate prices.
The preliminary data does not include taxes collected at the point of sale on adult-use transactions and is subject to further review by the department. Medical marijuana patients do not pay taxes on the purchase of their medicine.
The data is available at ct.gov/cannabis.
Sales data for the medical marijuana market is not available prior to Jan. 10, 2023. Seed-to-sale tracking was not previously required for medical marijuana sales. Adult-use and medical marijuana sales are now recorded in BioTrack, the inventory tracking system used to monitor the movement of cannabis in the state’s medical and adult-use cannabis markets.
Effective December 1, 2023, transaction limits for adult-use purchases increased to 1/2 ounce of raw flower or the equivalent. Medical marijuana patients may purchase up to 5 ounces per month and are not subject to individual transaction limits.
The Department will make future data available at ct.gov/cannabis. The data will be updated monthly on or after the 10th of each month, and new data will continue to be added as it becomes available.
Adults who choose to consume cannabis are reminded to do so responsibly, including storing cannabis products in their original packaging, locked up and out of reach of children and pets. Resources regarding responsible cannabis use, as well as information about addiction and health risks is available at ct.gov/cannabis.
Cannabis was approved for adult-use in June 2021. Adult-use sales began Jan. 10, 2023 at licensed retailers. For more information about Adult-Use Cannabis, visit ct.gov/cannabis.
H/T: portal.ct.gov
