Twenty five percent of U.S. adults tried cannabis in the past year. Eighteen percent use it regularly. The sections below present consumer demographics, employment totals, regulatory status, and sales figures from the United States and other markets.
Key Takeaways
- 25% of U.S. adults have tried cannabis in past year 2023
- 18% of Americans use cannabis regularly 2023
- Millennials top cannabis consumers at 29% usage rate
- U.S. cannabis industry employed 428,000 full-time jobs in 2023
- California cannabis jobs over 100,000 in 2023
- Colorado 50,000 cannabis-related jobs 2023
- 15 states have full adult-use legalization 2024
- 38 states allow medical cannabis 2024
- Federal rescheduling to Schedule III proposed 2024
- The global legal cannabis market was valued at $57.18 billion in 2024
- U.S. cannabis industry sales reached $28.4 billion in 2023
- Canadian cannabis market revenue hit CAD 5.1 billion in 2023
- U.S. cannabis sales generated $3.5 billion in taxes in 2023
- Colorado collected $423 million in cannabis taxes 2023
- California cannabis tax revenue $1.1 billion in 2023
In 2023, cannabis use and sales surged in the US as jobs grew and legal markets expanded fast.
Related reading
01 · Category
Consumer Demographics and Usage12 stats
01
25% of U.S. adults have tried cannabis in past year 2023
02
18% of Americans use cannabis regularly 2023
03
Millennials top cannabis consumers at 29% usage rate
04
Gen Z cannabis use 20% past month 2023
05
Women cannabis users increased to 45% in U.S. 2023
06
52% of U.S. users prefer indica strains
07
Average consumer age 35-44 highest usage group
08
60% of users consume for wellness reasons 2023
09
Daily cannabis use doubled since 2015 to 10%
10
70% of users prefer smoking flower
11
Edibles preferred by 40% of medical users
12
Average sessions per week 4 for recreational users
Interpretation
Consumer Demographics and Usage Interpretation
The data paints a picture of cannabis shedding its counterculture skin, revealing a mainstream, wellness-oriented market where millennials casually lead the charge, preferring to smoke their indica while the industry quietly matures alongside them.
02 · Category
Employment and Jobs19 stats
01
U.S. cannabis industry employed 428,000 full-time jobs in 2023
02
California cannabis jobs over 100,000 in 2023
03
Colorado 50,000 cannabis-related jobs 2023
04
Michigan cannabis employment 40,000 jobs 2023
05
Washington state 15,000 cannabis jobs 2023
06
Oregon cannabis industry 12,000 jobs 2023
07
Nevada cannabis jobs 10,000 in 2023
08
Illinois cannabis employment 25,000 jobs 2023
09
New York cannabis jobs projected 50,000 by 2025
10
Canada cannabis sector 10,000 direct jobs 2023
11
U.S. ancillary cannabis jobs 250,000 in 2023
12
Cultivation jobs 30% of total cannabis employment U.S.
13
Retail dispensary staff 40% of jobs U.S. cannabis
14
Manufacturing jobs 15% cannabis industry U.S.
15
Average cannabis job salary $50,000annually U.S.
16
Women represent 38% of cannabis workforce U.S.
17
Minorities 40% of cannabis employees in U.S.
18
Veterans 10% of cannabis industry hires U.S.
19
Job growth 10% annually in U.S. cannabis since 2018
Interpretation
Employment and Jobs Interpretation
While the U.S. cannabis industry now supports over 428,000 full-time jobs, paying an average of $50,000 annually and growing at a steady 10% clip, it’s clear this budding sector is not just a hazy dream but a serious economic engine cultivating opportunity for a notably diverse workforce.
03 · Category
Legal and Policy20 stats
01
15 states have full adult-use legalization 2024
02
38 states allow medical cannabis 2024
03
Federal rescheduling to Schedule III proposed 2024
04
Germany legalized recreational cannabis May 2024
05
Canada full legalization since October 2018
06
Uruguay first country to legalize 2013
07
U.S. banking restrictions eased SAFE Act 2024
08
24 states have decriminalized cannabis 2024
09
Mexico recreational legalization upheld 2021
10
Thailand decriminalized cannabis 2022
11
U.S. hemp legal federally since 2018 Farm Bill
12
Interstate commerce ban lifted discussions 2024
13
500+ cities banned dispensaries despite state law
14
Tax rates average 20-30% in legal states
15
Home grow limits 6 plants most states
16
Public consumption banned all legal states
17
Expungements for cannabis convictions 2 million+ since 2018
18
U.S. arrests for cannabis 350,000 annually still
19
Malta legalized recreational cannabis 2021 EU first
20
Luxembourg legalized home grow 2023
Interpretation
Legal and Policy Interpretation
The global march toward legalization feels like a thrilling, if maddeningly inconsistent, parade where we're simultaneously handing out balloons, tripping over our own red tape, and still occasionally arresting the marchers.
More related reading
04 · Category
Market Size and Growth30 stats
01
The global legal cannabis market was valued at $57.18 billion in 2024
02
U.S. cannabis industry sales reached $28.4 billion in 2023
03
Canadian cannabis market revenue hit CAD 5.1 billion in 2023
04
Global cannabis market projected to grow at 25.6% CAGR to 2030
05
California cannabis sales exceeded $5.3 billion in 2023
06
U.S. recreational cannabis sales were $24.2 billion in 2023
07
Medical cannabis market expected to reach $41.3 billion globally by 2030
08
Europe cannabis market valued at $4.4 billion in 2023
09
U.S. cannabis market projected to hit $44 billion by 2025
10
Mexico legal cannabis market forecast at $3.5 billion by 2027
11
Global CBD market size was $7.7 billion in 2024
12
Colorado cannabis sales totaled $2.2 billion in 2023
13
Illinois recreational cannabis sales reached $1.6 billion in 2023
14
Florida medical cannabis sales hit $1.9 billion in 2023
15
Michigan cannabis market sales over $3 billion in 2023
16
New York adult-use cannabis sales $150 million in first month of 2023
17
Global cannabis beverage market to reach $2.9 billion by 2028
18
U.S. hemp-derived CBD sales $5.3 billion in 2023
19
Australia medical cannabis market $500 million AUD in 2023
20
Germany cannabis market projected at €1.8 billion by 2025 post-legalization
21
U.S. cannabis edibles sales $3.1 billion in 2023
22
Israel medical cannabis exports $100 million in 2023
23
Thailand cannabis market $1.2 billion in first year of legalization
24
U.S. vape market in cannabis $2.8 billion 2023 sales
25
Global cannabis edibles market $15.8 billion by 2030 projection
26
Nevada cannabis sales $1.5 billion in 2023
27
Washington state cannabis sales $1.4 billion 2023
28
Oregon cannabis market $1.3 billion sales 2023
29
Arizona medical cannabis sales $900 million 2023
30
U.S. total cannabis sales forecast $57 billion by 2030
Interpretation
Market Size and Growth Interpretation
For all the pearl-clutching naysayers, the global cannabis industry is not just growing—it’s erupting into a multi-billion dollar, state-sponsored, job-creating, tax-generating juggernaut that’s leaving the illegal market choking in its dust.
05 · Category
Sales and Revenue26 stats
01
U.S. cannabis sales generated $3.5 billion in taxes in 2023
02
Colorado collected $423 million in cannabis taxes 2023
03
California cannabis tax revenue $1.1 billion in 2023
04
Michigan cannabis sales tax revenue $400 million 2023
05
Illinois cannabis tax revenue $400 million in 2023
06
Washington cannabis excise tax $500 million collected 2023
07
Nevada cannabis tax revenue $150 million 2023
08
New Jersey cannabis sales tax $200 million first year
09
New York cannabis tax revenue projected $500 million annually
10
Ohio medical cannabis sales $450 million 2023
11
Pennsylvania medical cannabis revenue $300 million 2023
12
Florida medical cannabis tax revenue $250 million 2023
13
Canada cannabis excise duty $1 billion CAD 2023
14
U.S. average cannabis price per ounce $250in 2023
15
Flower category 47% of U.S. cannabis sales 2023
16
Concentrates 23% of U.S. sales volume 2023
17
Edibles 15% market share U.S. cannabis 2023
18
Pre-rolls sales up 20% to $2.5 billion U.S. 2023
19
Topicals and tinctures $1 billion combined U.S. sales 2023
20
Black market cannabis still 60% of U.S. total consumption
21
Average dispensary revenue $5 million annually U.S.
22
Multi-state operators (MSOs) $15 billion revenue 2023
23
Curaleaf sales $1.3 billion 2023
24
Green Thumb Industries $1 billion revenue 2023
25
Trulieve Cannabis $1.2 billion sales 2023
26
Verano Holdings $900 million revenue 2023
Interpretation
Sales and Revenue Interpretation
While the "green rush" is clearly lining government coffers with billions in tax dollars and big businesses are raking it in, the persistent, thriving black market proves that when it comes to cannabis, a significant portion of the country still prefers the dealer's discount over the dispensary's receipt.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Marcus Engström. (2026, February 13). Cannibis Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cannibis-industry-statistics
MLA
Marcus Engström. "Cannibis Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/cannibis-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Marcus Engström. 2026. "Cannibis Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cannibis-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
59 datasets cited across this report