In this article, we are going to discuss the 35 cities with the highest weed consumption per capita. You can skip our detailed analysis of the cannabis industry in the U.S., the recent innovations in the American cannabis industry, and the cannabis boom towns, and go directly to 10 Cities with the Highest Weed Consumption per Capita.
In the United States, marijuana wasn’t widely used for recreational purposes until the early 1900s. After the Mexican revolution of 1910, immigrants from the southern neighbor flooded into the U.S., introducing the recreational use of cannabis to American culture.
Massive unemployment and social unrest during the Great Depression stoked resentment of Mexican immigrants and public fear of the ‘evil weed’. As a result – and consistent with the Prohibition era’s view of all intoxicants – 29 states had already outlawed cannabis by 1931.
Cannabis Industry in the U.S.:
The United States of America is the country that buys the most weed in the world. The U.S. legal cannabis industry took some hits in 2022, but as we mentioned in our article – 15 Cheapest Legal Weed States to Live in – annual revenue of the industry is estimated to reach $31.8 billion by the end of 2023, growing to $50.7 billion by 2028. 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 states. In the first two months of 2023, three states have begun cannabis sales: two adult-use (Connecticut and Maryland) and one medical (Mississippi). As of August 2023, 23 states have legalized recreational weed in America, in addition to the District of Columbia.
Innovation in the Cannabis Industry:
Across the U.S. and the world, cannabis markets are operating at very different stages of the market lifecycle – from new to mature, but all businesses operating in and with this industry can benefit from product innovation.
To get a better understanding of the revolutionary innovations in the American cannabis industry, let’s first study the example of Sweden. Albeit being a sparsely populated northern European country, Sweden has managed to produce some world class companies like IKEA, Ericsson, and Spotify etc. The theory is that Sweden is technologically a few years ahead of the rest of the world, so Swedish companies initially create products to cater to the domestic market. Some products outright fail, while others are redesigned and iterated a few times until they are successful. These successful products are then marketed across the continent and beyond, where everyone else is still technologically a few years behind. This is how various Swedish companies have managed to dominate world markets for such a long time now.
The United States of America is a behemoth of the global cannabis industry, so much so that even just one of its states – California – is the single largest cannabis market in the world. Americans love a good buzz and they’re forking over big bucks for it. This provides a huge opportunity for companies and entrepreneurs everywhere, who want the lion’s share of the sweet green ganja pie and are thus coming up with more and more innovative solutions to bring about a paradigm shift in the industry. Large and mature consumer markets like LA and Chicago can act as testing grounds for such innovators to test their ideas, before they bring them to the rest of the country and even across the border.
A great example is Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (CURLF) – a leading medical and recreational cannabis company serving over 350,000 registered customers across 23 states. Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (CURLF) has worked to introduce new products in the American market, including the vape hardware system Cliq by Select, Select X Bites gummies, and even a cannabis-infused Seltzer brand.
The company also maintains a presence in the UK and Germany – two of the countries that consume the most weed in Europe. Germany is in the process of drafting its adult-use cannabis framework and Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (CURLF) has already acquired a majority stake in the local pharmaceutical company Four 20 Pharma, thus positioning itself to take advantage of adult-use opportunities. The company also anticipates that more countries will follow Germany’s lead in the coming years and adopt adult-use regulations.
Similarly, Cresco Labs Inc. (CRLBF) – a Chicago-based, multistate cannabis company – has even helped launch the country’s first cannabis startup incubator to support Chicago’s growing cannabis ecosystem. The Cannabis Innovation Lab – a joint-venture between 1871, Cresco Labs Inc. (CRLBF), and other partners – is designed to bring early-stage startups together with growth companies, corporations, and venture capital firms with the goal of solving some of the industry’s challenges with technology. Cresco Labs Inc. (CRLBF) will provide technical assistance to new licensees just getting started in cultivation, new product development, wholesaling, and retailing.
E-commerce is now of paramount importance to the cannabis industry, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic when the marijuana business was deemed as essential in many states. Jane Technologies is a California-based retail software company that develops an online cannabis marketplace. The company’s platform allows users to browse local products in real time, compare by price, proximity, or popularity and place orders at local stores for free. According to the company, online sales account for 38% of all legal cannabis sales in the U.S. In 2020, Jane Technologies powered more than 17 million orders totaling over $2 billion in transactional volume. The retail tech company launched its first iOS app in 2022 and even launched an innovative point-of-sale platform for cannabis dispensaries last month.
Cannabis Boom Towns:
The legalization of cannabis provides noted financial advantages to all towns and cities within the state, but some towns enjoy these advantages on a greater scale. For counties and cities near state borders adjacent to a non-legal cannabis state, the revenue potential is even greater. Residents from non-legal states regularly travel to these neighboring border towns to purchase their favorite herbs.
One of the most notable cannabis migrations currently exists between Idaho and Oregon, where hundreds of Idahans make the pilgrimage everyday to the neighboring border town of Ontario – home to 11 legal dispensaries. In 2022, Ontario boasted a total of $104 million in cannabis sales and this is especially impressive given that the town has a small population of only 11,000 people. According to Debbie Folden – the mayor of Ontario – the town’s cannabis market caters almost exclusively to Idaho residents.
To maintain a level playing field, we have excluded such cannabis boom towns from our list.
With that said, here are the Cities with the Highest Weed Consumption per Capita.
Methodology:
To collect data for this article, we have referred to the 2023 Cannabis Price Index by the CFAH, which we also used for American Cities with the Highest Weed Consumption in 2023. Then we referred to the U.S Census Bureau to find the current populations of the aforementioned cities, and eventually came up with our index of the U.S. 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. When two cities had the same consumption per capita, we ranked them by their total annual weed consumption.
If you’re also interested in investing in the weed industry, here are the 11 Best Marijuana Stocks to Buy Now.
35. Honolulu, HI
Weed Consumption per Capita: 1.61g
The Hawaii senate has approved a bill to legalize marijuana earlier this year. The Senate cannabis legalization bill, sponsored by Sen. Joy Buenaventura (D), cleared the chamber in a 22-3 vote in March.
34. Omaha, NE
Weed Consumption per Capita: 2.06g
The state of Nebraska has decriminalized possession of small amounts of cannabis, punishing possession of up to one ounce with a $300 citation, but the sale of any amount of marijuana is still a felony. However, the federally legalized Delta-8 is available across multiple dispensaries in Omaha.
33. Atlanta, GA
Weed Consumption per Capita: 2.6g
A January 2023 poll conducted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution found that 53% of Georgians polled supported adult-use legalization.
Atlanta is among the cities consuming the most weed per capita in America.
32. Newark, NJ
Weed Consumption per Capita: 2.95g
One-third of New Jersey’s adults are using weed, and most of them are getting it legally. The Garden State’s licensed retail cannabis market cashed in $555 million in 2022.
31. Baltimore, MD
Weed Consumption per Capita: 2.98g
Recreational marijuana became legal in Maryland starting July 1st 2023. The first week of legalized recreational cannabis in the state proved extremely profitable, with residents spending more than $20.9 million at dispensaries.
30. Washington D.C.
Weed Consumption per Capita: 2.98g
While recreational marijuana is legal in the capital – albeit with restrictions – it remains against the law on federal land. There are seven medical dispensaries and eight cultivators licensed in D.C. Washington D.C. is among the U.S. Cities with the Highest Weed Consumption per Capita.
29. Miami, FL
Weed Consumption per Capita: 3.56g
Under Florida law, it’s illegal to consume marijuana for recreational purposes. The average price per gram of weed in Miami is $9.3, according to figures by CFAH.
28. Cleveland, OH
Weed Consumption per Capita: 3.6g
Recreational marijuana advocates in Ohio have started collecting signatures to put weed on the ballot this November and change state law. The proposition would legalize and regulate recreational weed to adults 21 years of age or older. According to the activists, the new regulations would raise $350 – $400 million in new tax revenue annually.
27. Durham, NC
Weed Consumption per Capita: 3.77g
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.
26. Jackson, MS
Weed Consumption per Capita: 4.79g
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.
25. Detroit, MI
Weed Consumption per Capita: 4.84g
Cannabis sales in Michigan hit record highs last year, with companies profiting more than $221 million in the month of December alone, according to a state report. The state also ranks 3rd in the country by the number of people employed in its cannabis industry. Detroit ranks 25th in our list of Cities Consuming the Most Weed per Capita.
24. Albuquerque, NM
Weed Consumption per Capita: 5.34g
New Mexico’s relatively low prices are the result of a competitive market that reflects low barriers to entry for licenses, which is in contrast to many other states. In one year, the state government has issued 2,000 cannabis licenses across New Mexico, including 633 cannabis retailers, 351 producers, 451 micro producers and 507 manufacturers.
23. Boston, MA
Weed Consumption per Capita: 5.53g
Prices have plummeted rapidly since the legalization of cannabis in Massachusetts a few years ago. An ounce of marijuana flower now sells for $171, according to the state’s Cannabis Control Commission. As recently as two years ago, the price was $400 per ounce.
22. Boise, ID
Weed Consumption per Capita: 5.92g
While its neighboring states allow recreational and medical marijuana use, Idaho remains strictly bud-free. Hundreds of consumers travel everyday to Oregon to purchase cannabis products. Boise is among the Cities with the Highest Weed Consumption per Capita in the U.S.
21. Seattle, WA
Weed Consumption per Capita: 6.14g
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell signed three ordinances last year aimed at improving equity and helping people of color break into the state’s mostly white legal cannabis industry. The city has over 50 legal dispensaries operating within its limits.
20. Las Vegas, NV
Weed Consumption per Capita: 6.25g
Marijuana consumption lounges were approved last year in Las Vegas and Clark County. The lounges will be a lot like bars – which can’t sell alcohol – where residents and tourists can legally smoke cannabis products. The Sin City ranks 20th among the U.S. Cities with the Highest Weed Consumption per Capita in 2023.
19. Philadelphia, PA
Weed Consumption per Capita: 6.76g
Philadelphia decriminalized the possession and use of marijuana in 2014, which means that although weed is not legal in Philly, small amounts have been decriminalized and you won’t be arrested for minor offenses.
18. Phoenix, AZ
Weed Consumption per Capita: 6.93g
Arizona’s adult-use cannabis sales reached $950 million in 2022, soaring to 70% of the state’s total marijuana sales for the year. The Grand Canyon State collected $256 million in cannabis tax revenue last year.
17. New York, NY
Weed Consumption per Capita: 7.47g
New York collected $56 million in marijuana tax revenues in the first year alone – after statewide legal sales began in December 2022. Legal cannabis is expected to generate 63,000 jobs across the Empire State by 2025.
NYC is also home to Tilray Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) – a pharmaceutical, cannabis-lifestyle and consumer packaged goods company. Tilray Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) recently completed the $56 million acquisition of Hexo, thus solidifying its top market-share position in Canadian cannabis. With a revenue of $627.1 million last year, Tilray Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) ranks among the Biggest Marijuana Companies in the World.
The Big Apple is among the most drug-consuming cities in the world.
16. Portland, OR
Weed Consumption per Capita: 7.87g
Portland was declared the ‘Best Weed City’ of 2023, according to a study by Real Estate Witch and Leafly. At $7 per gram, marijuana prices in Portland are lower than they’ve ever been because the market is saturated with product and the demand isn’t growing.
15. Houston, TX
Weed Consumption per Capita: 8.03g
The Texas House of Representatives in April gave preliminary approval to a bill decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana. Hemp and CBD are currently legal in Houston. The Texan city is among the top cities with the highest weed consumption per capita.
14. Kansas City, KS
Weed Consumption per Capita: 9.13g
All cannabis is illegal in Kansas, but in February 2021, Democratic Governor Laura Kelly proposed legalizing it for medicinal use to help fund a Medicaid expansion.
13. Los Angeles, CA
Weed Consumption per Capita: 9.16g
California is the state with the best weed in America in 2023, as per the quality and availability of the plant. However, black market sales of the herb are still very popular in the Sunshine State, as currently 2 out of every 3 cannabis purchases are made in the illicit market. California has the highest consumption of weed in the world.
12. Chicago, IL
Weed Consumption per Capita: 9.34g
Chicago is home to some of the cannabis industry’s leading players, including publicly traded Cresco Labs, Verano and Green Thumb Industries (all pink slips), and the privately held PharmaCann.
11. Denver, CO
Weed Consumption per Capita: 9.53g
Denver reported a 22% decline in weed sales from 2021 to 2022 – the largest annual drop since legalization. Aside from ganja, the Mile-High City is also famous for its craft beer scene. Denver ranks 11th among Cities with the Highest Cannabis Consumption per Capita.
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Disclosure: None. 35 Cities with the Highest Weed Consumption per Capita is originally published on Insider Monkey.
