The new Illinois adult-use cannabis market has posted increased sales numbers nearly every month since its Jan. 1 launch, and the trend continued in July, when the state’s retailers sold almost $61 million in marijuana.
According to the Chicago Tribune, July brings rec marijuana sales in Illinois to just more than $300 million year-to-date.
In June, sales hit $47.6 million, meaning the July bump is a hefty increase in terms of percentage.
Though several state marijuana markets – including Illinois – have recorded either record-breaking sales numbers or solid increases during the coronavirus pandemic, some insiders are worried cannabis sales numbers are about to take a dive because Congress allowed the $600-per-week unemployment stipend to expire July 31.
Which means if Congress doesn’t replace those payments with some other form of help, August sales numbers in Illinois and elsewhere could be significantly lower.