In this article, we are going to discuss the 30 US cities with the highest weed consumption per capita. You can skip our detailed analysis of the cannabis industry in the United States, the state of the marijuana black market, and the recent acquisitions in the cannabis industry, and go directly to the 10 US Cities with the Highest Weed Consumption per Capita.
The history of the cannabis industry is riddled with changes and conflicting legislation. The international media has played an important role in shifting perspectives about marijuana and drug use. Today, we are watching the slow and steady change of mainstream opinion to consider cannabis one of the more harmless (and probably even potentially beneficial) drugs still considered largely illegal. As perspectives change, we can expect the laws to eventually follow suit.
READ ALSO: 20 European Cities with Highest Weed Consumption and 20 Best Weed Strains to Try in 2024.
Cannabis Industry in the United States:
The United States of America is the country that smokes the most weed in the world. As we mentioned in our article – 20 Cities with the Highest Weed Consumption in the US – the American legal cannabis industry fared well in 2023 as legal sales across the 38 states that allow some form of regulated marijuana reached $28.8 billion, a 10.3% increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, the legal cannabis industry also added 22,952 new jobs last year – a sign that the business climate has stabilized somewhat nationally following the turmoil of the previous two years. The increasing legalization of cannabis and rising acceptance of its use for medical purposes are the key factors driving the growth of the market.
Growth is also expected to come from new markets, as states like South Dakota, Florida, and Nebraska are expected to have marijuana legalization on November ballots. As of the writing of this article, 24 states have legalized recreational weed in America, in addition to the District of Columbia.
State of the Marijuana Black Market:
In countries where recreational cannabis is still illegal, the black market steps in to fill the void. As stated in our article – 20 Best Weed Strains for Focus and Creativity– the cannabis black market in the U.K. is worth around $3.3 billion, with 255 tonnes of product sold to about 3 million users every year. The report concludes that if marijuana were legalized in the country, the tax revenues alone, before considering savings to public services, could exceed $1.27 billion a year.
Also across the United States, thriving, unregulated cannabis businesses are threatening to undercut legal markets awaiting banking and tax reform. A report by Whitney Economics has revealed that around 75% of the U.S. cannabis market is illicit sales. The black market doesn’t have to pay taxes and it isn’t limited by state lines, two huge headaches for legalized businesses.
New York is particularly enticing for the illegal cannabis business. That’s partly due to the problematic rollout of legal adult-use cannabis, with critics saying excessive regulations and a complicated licensing process have stymied legitimate efforts. According to the NYPD, the number of illegal dispensaries in the Big Apple alone is estimated to be in the thousands.
Things aren’t much different on the other side of the country either. In California – the Largest Cannabis Market in the World – there is a thriving black market that greatly benefits from the restrictions on their licensed competitors, such as sky-high taxes and the fact that only about 40% of local jurisdictions in the Golden State permit cannabis stores, despite state-level legalization since 2016. Last year alone, California’s Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce served more than 300 search warrants on unlicensed operations across the state.
But let’s not forget that the black market is often awash with high-strength, hazardous products and can pose a serious risk to consumer health, as well as the progress of the legal cannabis industry.
Recent Acquisitions in the Cannabis Industry:
Considering the rapidly expanding weed markets in the US and Canada, and the legalization of the drug in some other countries around the world, it comes as no surprise that some major industry players would try to expand and make sure that they don’t miss out on their slice of the sweet green ganja pie.
SNDL Inc. (NASDAQ:SNDL), one of the Biggest Marijuana Companies in the World, announced this week that it has been successful in its bid to acquire Indiva, further solidifying its position in the Canadian cannabis market. Indiva is a leading producer of weed edibles in Canada and produces award-winning products across a portfolio of 7 brands and 53 listed SKUs. The deal includes Indiva’s state-of-the-art facility in Ontario and a portfolio of leading owned and licensed brands including Pearls by Grön, No Future, Wana, and Bhang Chocolate.
SNDL seems to be on a shopping spree as it also announced earlier this month that it had entered into an arrangement agreement to acquire the remaining minority stake of Nova Cannabis, one of the largest and fastest-growing cannabis retailers in Canada. The deal, worth approximately $40 million, will make SNDL the sole owner of Nova and ‘underscores its commitment to sustainable performance in Canadian cannabis,’
SNDL Inc. (NASDAQ:SNDL) is the largest private-sector liquor and cannabis retailer in Canada, with retail banners that include Ace Liquor, Wine and Beyond, Liquor Depot, Value Buds, and Spiritleaf. The company has shown massive growth over the last few years, with its revenue skyrocketing from $60.9 million in 2020 to just over $909 million last year. That said, the Calgary-based liquor and cannabis retailer still hasn’t managed to turn a profit in its last four financial years. To help improve its profitability, SNDL announced a restructuring plan in July that would help slash its annual expenses by $20 million. The plan also includes a one-time $11 million investment spread over a year and a half and is vital for the company’s improved capital deployment, agility, focus, and profitability.
SNDL reported an all-time record gross margin of 25.5% in Q2 2024 and remains debt-free and cash-rich. Moreover, the company also has a robust business strategy consisting of cultivation/product manufacture, retail cannabis, retail liquor, and cannabis investments.
SNDL Inc. (NASDAQ:SNDL) is also now positioned to benefit from the US cannabis markets fully and soon directly participate, as the company has recently announced the completion of NASDAQ’s review of its SunStream USA structure, marking a major milestone. The financial industry seems optimistic about SNDL’s growth, as the number of hedge funds in the Insider Monkey database holding a stake in the stock increased from 7 in Q1 to 12 in Q2, with the total stake value also rising by just over 55%.
SNDL Inc. (NASDAQ:SNDL) was also recently included in our list of the Best Wine Stocks To Buy Now.
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With that said, here are the US Cities that Consume the Most Weed per Capita.
A close-up shot of a cannabis plant, showing its intricate details.
Methodology:
To collect data for this article, we have referred to the 2023 Cannabis Price Index by the CFAH, looking for the Cities that Consume the Most Weed in the US. Then we referred to the U.S Census Bureau to find the populations of the aforementioned cities as of July 2023 and eventually came up with our index of the American Cities with the Highest Weed Consumption per Capita. To keep our list relevant, we have only included cities with populations of 45,000 and above.
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30. Baltimore, MD
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 3.31g
Recreational marijuana became legal in Maryland starting July 1st, 2023. According to the Maryland Cannabis Association, $462.2 million of weed products have been sold in the state this year, as of July 2024. Maryland is handing out 75 dispensary licenses this year to gain more legal retailers, with 11 going to Baltimore.
29. Miami, FL
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 3.87g
In Miami, possession or distribution of 20 grams or less of cannabis could amount to up to one year in jail or a $1,000 fine. However, this may be about to change as the Florida Supreme Court recently gave the final green light for Amendment Three to head to the ballot this fall, which would effectively legalize recreational weed in the Sunshine State.
28. Durham, NC
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 4.09g
Recreational use of cannabis is comparable among people of color and whites in Durham, but according to a report, African Americans account for 80% of those charged with marijuana misdemeanors.
27. Cleveland, OH
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 4.86g
On November 7th, 2023, Ohio became the twenty-fourth state in the United States to legalize the recreational possession and use of marijuana. The law went into effect on December 7th, 2023, and the legal sales of recreational marijuana finally started in August of this year.
26. Detroit, MI
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 5.22g
As one of the Most Weed-Friendly Cities in America, Detroit provides its residents with ample opportunities to find their favorite herbs with more than 100 locations to choose from. Michigan is the state with the highest per capita sales of weed in America at $132.41, according to data provided by Headset – a cannabis market intelligence firm.
25. Jackson, MS
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 5.37g
Mississippi became the 37th state to legalize medical cannabis, signed into law in Feb 2022 by Gov. Tate Reeves. However, adult-use cannabis remains illegal in the Magnolia State.
24. Albuquerque, NM
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 5.9g
The first recreational dispensaries in New Mexico began licensed sales of weed in April 2022, and it was announced in March this year that the state’s cannabis industry has already crossed the billion-dollar mark. In fact, cannabis dispensaries now outnumber even liquor stories in the city of Albuquerque.
23. Boston, MA
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 6.07g
Boston’s cannabis scene continues to grow and it is not uncommon to find weed-friendly tours, workshops, and festivals around the city. With some of the best dispensaries in the country, Boston ranks among the cities that smoke the most weed in America.
22. Boise, ID
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 6.55g
While its neighboring states allow recreational and medical marijuana use, Idaho remains strictly bud-free. Hence, hundreds of Idahoans travel every day to Oregon to purchase cannabis products. With an average price of around $273 for an ounce of high-quality weed, Idaho ranks among the States with the Cheapest Weed in America.
21. Seattle, WA
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 6.72g
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell signed three ordinances in 2022 aimed at improving equity and helping people of color break into the state’s mostly white legal cannabis industry. The Evergreen State collected $465 million in excise taxes alone from the sale of weed products in fiscal year 2023.
20. Las Vegas, NV
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 6.84g
As one of the world’s premier destinations for marijuana tourism, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Las Vegas has made it to our list of the Most Stoned Cities in America. In February 2024, Smoke and Mirrors – the first regulated cannabis consumption lounge in Nevada – opened up in Sin City, giving visitors a place to legally enjoy their weed.
19. Philadelphia, PA
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 7.54g
With an annual weed consumption of 10.6 metric tons, Philadelphia is placed among the Cities with the Highest Weed Consumption in the World. Cannabis is currently illegal in Pennsylvania but state lawmakers have recently announced their intent to file a new bill to legalize recreational ganja.
18. Phoenix, AZ
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 7.62g
It has been over three years since Arizona legalized the sale of adult-use marijuana. The recreational cannabis market contributed $172.8 million in excise tax revenue for the Grand Canyon State last year, with the lion’s share going to community college and provisional community college districts.
17. New York, NY
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 8.32g
A recent crackdown by the New York State Cannabis Enforcement Task Force closed down around 1,000 illegal shops in NYC, with Mayor Eric Adams even overseeing the destruction of around 4 tons of illegal marijuana products seized by the city sheriff.
16. Portland, OR
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 8.74g
Portland was declared the Weed Capital of the United States or ‘The Best Weed City’ in 2023, according to a study by Real Estate Witch and Leafly. Portland Community College is now also offering cannabis programs to students who want to pursue a career in the marijuana industry upon graduation.
15. Houston, TX
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 8.81g
Recreational use of marijuana is still illegal in Texas but hemp and CBD have been legalized. However, huge quantities of illegal bud make their way across the border from Mexico and still go for about the same price as 25 years ago.
14. Kansas City, KS
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 10.09g
Kansas remains among the handful of states that haven’t legalized cannabis in medical or adult-use form. A 2023 survey by researchers at Fort Hays State University revealed that 67% of the state’s adults aged 21 and older supported legalizing recreational marijuana to allow taxation of the activity.
13. Los Angeles, CA
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 10.1g
California is the state with the best weed in America in 2024, as per the quality and availability of the plant. It is also the Largest Cannabis Market in America by revenue, with $5.1 billion in recreational marijuana sales in 2023. A quarter of all marijuana dispensaries in the country are in California, with over 1,481 in Los Angeles County alone, according to figures from February 2024.
12. Chicago, IL
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 10.3g
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced last month that Illinois had hit a major milestone this year, with $1 billion in marijuana retail sales achieved already on July 1, 2024. The city of Chicago raked in around $4.35 million from cannabis taxes in fiscal year 2024, which ended on June 30th.
11. Denver, CO
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 10.46g
Denver was the first city in America where adult-use cannabis retailers opened up in 2014. The city’s revenue from cannabis tax and licensing fees reached $48.1 million in 2023, with most of it going to homelessness services.
Denver is also included among the Cities with the Most Dispensaries per Capita, with 10.4 weed dispensaries per 100,000 residents.
10. Lincoln, NE
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 13.83g
The state of Nebraska has decriminalized possession of small amounts of cannabis, punishing possession of up to one ounce with a $300 citation for first-time offenders, but the sale of any amount of marijuana is still a felony. That does not stop in-state residents from crossing into Colorado and other western states, where it is legal, to bring back cannabis products.
9. Lake Charles, LA
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 13.84g
In 2022, Louisiana legalized recreational hemp edibles with limited amounts of THC for adults aged 21 and older. However, the state’s legislators recently passed a bill to decrease the potency of recreational hemp edibles from 8 mg to 5 mg of THC per serving and granted exclusive rights to medical cannabis farming to two private companies.
8. Kyle, TX
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 15.86g
Recreational use of marijuana is illegal in Texas, though small amounts have been decriminalized in several cities and counties. As for legal medical marijuana, it’s still restrictive and requires a prescription.
7. Waterloo, IA
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 16.55g
Iowans have to regularly flock to nearby states that have legalized recreational cannabis, such as Illinois. However, hemp and CBD products are legal for consumers to possess and registered retailers to sell in the Hawkeye State.
6. Johnson City, TN
Annual Weed Consumption per Capita: 18.03g
Cannabis is illegal for most use in the Volunteer State, however, according to a MTSU poll, more than 80% of Tennesseeans support legalizing marijuana in some capacity.
