Marijuana sales more than double six months after recreational legalization in Maryland

BALTIMORE -- Cannabis sales in Maryland have steadily increased, breaking records month after month since recreational use was legalized in the state six months ago.

According to the Maryland Cannabis Administration, the state has made nearly $700 million in one year from cannabis sales. 

In just about five months, medical use sales went up by more than $200 million. 

Adult use sales went from a few hundred dollars to more than $270 million. 

SunMed Growers in Cecil County says their sales have doubled since the legalization. The company started in 2018 and spent $100 million to set up its facility and 60-acre farm. 

SunMed President Jake Van Wingerden says the sales will now help them pay the debt they've accumulated and increase staff salaries. 

"Once legalization happened we were able to stabilize and a lot of our projections came true," Van Wingerden said. "We recently at SunMed gave the entire staff a 5-dollar-an-hour raise across the board. So, we were very excited to be able to reinvest back into our team and our people." 

Some of the revenue from marijuana sales is being funneled back into communities across the state. 

Customers who buy recreational marijuana pay 9% in taxes at the cash register. From July to September, Maryland collected more than $12 million in taxes for adult-use cannabis sales. 

These taxes go into Maryland counties and a variety of funds related to health, business, social equity and the state's general fund. 

Starting this year, the state is handing out 75 dispensary licenses to gain more legal retailers in this space. The new licenses are based on a lottery system.  

These licenses are allocated among Maryland jurisdictions with an emphasis on communities disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs. 

Baltimore City received the most in this first round with 11 licenses. Montgomery and Prince George's counties are next in line with the highest number of licenses, with each receiving 9. 

SunMed Growers is the largest cannabis farm in the state and their president says this move encourages market share. 

"Because the state suffers from a lack of diversity specifically on the grower side," Van Wingerden said. "So they want to give out more licenses to disadvantaged people and allow them to be successful. That piece of the law and that process is ongoing and we're very supportive of that."