Marylanders consume more marijuana than national average: study

MARYLAND – Lawmakers in Maryland are preparing for the legalization of recreational marijuana, and the massive sales boom expected from marijuana sales.

According to a new article from the Washington Post, the market for weed in Maryland is expected to be massive. The article cites a study done by Cannabis Public Policy Consulting.

The study found that 1 in 3 Maryland adults use cannabis at least once a month, and 1 in 5 use it either daily or almost daily. 

In fact, Marylanders in total, consume more marijuana than the national average. Nationally, the average person consumes 20.2 grams of marijuana a month, but in Maryland that number is 25.4 grams.

The survey, given to thousands of state residents, also found consumers are willing to drive between 11 and 20 minutes to get their cannabis. It also found that consumers are willing to $14 per gram. That breaks down to each single Maryland user spending about $357 a month on cannabis.

Michael Sofis, the director of research at Cannabis Public Policy Consulting, 

“It is a lot, and it’s more than most states, I will say. It’s more than even some states that already have adult use cannabis laws. But that’s a good thing, at least for adult use legalization,” Michael Sofis, the director of research at Cannabis Public Policy Consulting, tells FOX 5.

The study expects that in the first year of legalization, Maryland consumers will buy 824 million grams of cannabis across all sources – including homegrown, medical and illicit sales, meaning Maryland could see over $11.5 billion in sales.

On Thursday, the Maryland General Assembly began setting up the framework for marijuana legalization and retail sales.

During this time, lawmakers will need to decide who will be issued licenses to grow and sell marijuana, and how sales taxes will be distributed.

Legalization takes effect on July 1st, 2023.