Montana Blazes a Trail: Big Sky Country Ranks “High” For Marijuana Searches
Well, this gives new meaning to "Rocky Mountain High".
While many outside of Montana may view The Treasure State as a conservative cowboy state, new information reveals that might necessarily be the case, at least when it comes to certain things.
Back in 2004, the state passed legislation that allowed for medical marijuana, and then back in 2021, several areas of the state went ahead and passed marijuana to be used in recreation as well. Since that time, marijuana has been big business in Montana. One source claims that in 2023 alone, the state made well over 300 million dollars.
While it shouldn't be a surprise that marijuana sales are big in Bozeman and Missoula, it looks like those are the only two places where the hippie lettuce is popular. In fact, according to the website Bio Wellness, Montana ranks in the Top 10 for online marijuana searches.
As mentioned, medical marijuana has been legal here for some time, however, when you compare the income from recreational vs medical, it's not even close. Recreational pot by far outsells the medical version, and that makes sense when you don't have to worry about having a "medical card" and can go to your favorite dispensary.
According to the data, Montana isn't the only state in our area making the Top 10. The research shows that our friends over in Oregon and Washington have quite an interest as well, with both ranking in the Top 10.
According to Montana State Cannabis, Montana has over 400 dispensaries across the state and it looks like our friends over in Missoula lead the nation with the most dispensaries based on population for the entire country.
Since the passing of recreational marijuana, the amount of state revenue has increased each year and looks to continue to do so. And while many Montanans might not agree with it, there is no denying that it's big money for the state and that means it's not going anywhere, anytime soon.
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Gallery Credit: megan shaul
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Gallery Credit: Toni Gee, Townsquare Media