The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (Commission) announced that adult-use marijuana establishments surpassed $7 billion in gross sales in November ahead of a record “Green Wednesday” – the cannabis consumer holiday the day before Thanksgiving – according to sales data published to the agency’s Open Data platform.
Adult-use licensees including marijuana retailers, delivery operators and couriers, and microbusinesses with delivery endorsements crossed the $7 billion sales mark on Nov. 19 – eight days before Green Wednesday. This milestone, which reflects total sales since the first two marijuana retailers commenced operations in November 2018, includes the industry’s highest-ever sales months this past July and August and reflects licensees achieving another $1 billion milestone in seven months, the fastest time ever, since marijuana establishments surpassed the $6 billion mark on April 17.
Marijuana establishments then achieved $7.9 million in gross sales on Nov. 27, otherwise known as “Green Wednesday,” a nearly $500,000 increase over the same consumer sales holiday in 2023—and the second-best sales day ever for the adult-use cannabis industry after the April 20 consumer holiday earlier this year. The Green Wednesday sales milestone also followed pivotal changes in regulations which were promulgated on Nov. 22, when the two-agent requirement for delivery and Independent Testing Laboratory (ITL) transportation decreased to one agent for deliveries with a retail or wholesale value of up to $5,000. To date, adult-use cannabis sales have reached $1.5 billion in 2024.
Since the commission assumed oversight of the medical use of marijuana program in December 2018, dispensing Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MTCs) have generated $1.4 billion in medical sales overall and $177 million so far in 2024 alone.
Coinciding with the $7 billion adult-use sales milestone, the average price of flower in Massachusetts has reportedly decreased to $4.58 per gram. According to Metrc data, cannabis flower (e.g., buds, shake, trim) and pre-roll products were the biggest sellers over the Green Wednesday holiday week, generating a combined $22.7 million in sales. Vape products were the second-most popular ($8.5 million in sales) followed by edibles ($4.8 million).
The $7 billion marijuana establishment sales milestone comes just before the commission’s social consumption working group revealed a proposal for three, new forthcoming social consumption license types on Dec. 5. They are designed to help existing and future licensees expand into new spaces and pursue new business opportunities in line with the commission’s duty to uphold a safe, equitable, and effectively regulated cannabis industry in Massachusetts. The commission will review red-line regulatory changes for those license types starting on Dec. 17, prior to the opening of an informal public comment period for constituents to provide feedback.
