Three decades ago, in 1996, legal cannabis started its nascent journey when California approved its use to treat medical conditions. Today, it has grown into a rapidly expanding industry offering potentially lucrative new market development, with the majority of U.S. states—red and blue alike—supporting some level medical and/or recreational cannabis use.
Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics predict that combined medical and recreational legal cannabis sales in the U.S. will top $11 billion in 2018. And according to the 2017 “Marijuana Business Factbook” from Marijuana Business Daily, by 2021 U.S. sales are anticipated to top $17 billion.