SEATTLE — For many people, the pandemic lockdowns increased feelings of boredom, anxiety and loneliness. So it’s hardly a surprise that marijuana use increased, just as alcohol consumption did.
But you might be surprised at just how much more cannabis Washingtonians are using now than they were before the pandemic.
Data from the Washington State Alcohol and Cannabis Control Board shows sales increased statewide by $450 million, or about 43%, from the 2019 to 2021 fiscal years. The total retail sales in 2021 were nearly $1.5 billion.
Cannabis sales also generated more than $550 million in excise taxes for the state, most of which will be spent on public health programs, as prescribed by Washington’s 2012 marijuana legalization measure.