According to information made public by the Montana Department of Revenue, authorized retail establishments sold recreational marijuana in August for a total of $25,851,878. The whole amount of $29,716,881 is made up of this and the $3,865,003 in medicinal marijuana that patients have already purchased.
The August sales figure surpasses the $28,717,104 monthly record that was set just one month prior. August 2023 saw $28,697,312 set as the previous record.
As of right now, Montana has sold over $215 million worth of marijuana so far this year, bringing the total amount sold since January 2022 to $838,352,066.
Marijuana sales have exceeded $25 million for the eighteenth straight month in August.
In 2021, Montana legalized marijuana for recreational use. The state’s first licensed retail locations opened their doors in January 2022. According to state legislation, people who are at least 21 years old may possess up to one ounce of marijuana. 4% is the tax on medical purchases and 20% is on recreational purchases.
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The following is how marijuana tax revenue is allocated:
- The HEART account, which aims to heal and end addiction via recovery and treatment, has received $6 million.
- 20% will go to the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks and will only be used to pay for habitat for wildlife.
- 4% go toward the trails and recreational amenities account and 4% go toward the state park account.
- 4% goes toward the wildlife nongame account.
- 3% or $200,000, whichever is less, will go toward the state special revenue account for veterans and surviving spouses.
- For the biennium starting July 1, 2021, the Board of Crime Control will receive $150,000 to fund the training of crisis intervention teams.
- $300,000 to the Department of Justice to administer grant funding to local and state law enforcement agencies for the purpose of purchasing and training drug detection canines and canine handlers, including canines owned by local law enforcement agencies to replace canines trained to detect marijuana.
- The remaining amount going to the general fund
