Oregon becomes the latest state to show record cannabis sales in April

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The cannabis ecosystem continues to remain strong while most commercial segments have dried up

For reasons that are not fully understood yet, cannabis sales continue to soar in most states with cannabis legislation amid the coronavirus pandemic. Case in point, Oregon, where the state’s Liquor Control Commission has reported that cannabis sales last month were up 45% compared to April 2019. The $89 million collected in legal marijuana sales during April is officially the largest moth on record for the state.

This news is good for the Beaver State, which has collected over $100 million in tax revenue coming from marijuana sales this year. Retail marijuana sales have a 17% tax, which is quite steep, given the fact that a number of other countries and cities apply only a 3% tax. This has been a great source of funding for the state, since other revenue coming from the state lottery can’t be currently predicted due to the situation with the coronavirus pandemic.

Several dispensaries across the country were categorized as essential businesses, Oregon was one of the states that allowed these shops to remain open while the government’s restrictions were in place. “There’s a reason why over 25 states have declared marijuana dispensaries to be essential services. These are things people rely on,” explained Representative Earl Blumenauer.

While many companies have had to close down and lots of people have lost their jobs, the cannabis industry is helping to create new jobs for many citizens. “Up until March, there were almost a quarter-million people who worked in the industry,” added Blumenauer, who has been advocating for cannabis legislation for a long time. In the meantime, Congress members are already considering a kind of reform to include marijuana businesses in baking laws.