How high are we gonna get?

Legal-weed sales set new monthly record in June, both for Illinoisans and cannabis tourists

Customers line up — minding social distancing — outside the Sunnyside dispensary in Chicago’s Wrigleyville neighborhood. (One Illinois/Ted Cox)

By Ted Cox

How high can Illinois get when it comes to sales of adult-use cannabis?

In June, for the second straight month — coronavirus pandemic or not — Illinois dispensaries set records for sales of recreational marijuana, both for state residents and cannabis tourists, approaching $50 million and 1 million items sold.

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professionals Standards reported Tuesday that dispensaries moved 994,545 pieces of recreational marijuana in June — $35.3 million to state residents and $12.4 million to out-of-staters — for a total intake of $47.6 million.

That set new records across the board from May, when the state cracked the record $39.2 million in sales from the first month of legalization in January, with total sales of $44.3 million. That month also set new highs for Illinoisans and marijuana tourism, when out-of-staters topped $10 million for the first time.

Tuesday’s news came just a day after the Illinois Department of Revenue reported record one-month tax revenue stemming from legalized marijuana. Collections typically lag a month behind sales and revenue generated, so the new record reefer revenue of $12 million set in June figures to be eclipsed again when the department releases new collection figures next month.

Through the first six months of legalization, the state sold $239.2 million in recreational cannabis, generating $34.3 million in marijuana taxes alone, breezing past the $28 million Gov. Pritzker had budgeted for the half year.