Arizonans Consumed 10 Tons, $112 Million of Medical Marijuana

There are currently over 63,000 medical marijuana patients in Arizona, and a new report by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) revealed that more than 10 tons of marijuana was purchased at dispensaries over the last year.

That statistics averages out to the equivalent of one joint per patient per day. But, as with any medication, some patients consume less than others.

If we estimate the price for an ounce of marijuana from a dispensary at $350, that means Arizonans spent about $112 million on medical marijuana over the last year. Furthermore, the ADHS charges $150 per year per medical marijuana card issued, which means the state made over $9 million last year from issuing cards.

The recent Arizona Department of Health Services report also found:

– 85 medical marijuana dispensaries were operating last year.
– Over two-thirds of medical marijuana patients are male.
– The average medical marijuana patient made 17 transactions at dispensaries during the last year.
– Fridays and Saturdays are the two busiest days of the week for dispensaries.

These statistics reveal that Arizona’s medical marijuana industry is steadily growing.

If marijuana gets legalized in Arizona for recreational use in 2016, marijuana sales would likely increase to upwards of $400 million per year.