U.S. Cannabis Sales Hit $30.1 Billion in 2024 Despite Job Cuts
U.S. cannabis shops sold $30.1 billion of legal cannabis in 2024. This marks a 4.5% rise from last year, based on the new Vangst Jobs Report with Whitney Economics.
Sales Up, Jobs Down
While sales grew, cannabis jobs fell slightly. The industry now has about 425,002 full-time workers after losing 15,443 jobs—a 3.4% drop from last year.
This mix of rising sales but fewer jobs shows the industry is changing. Companies are learning to do more with less.
"This shift shows a growing industry focused on being stable and efficient," said Karson Humiston, who founded Vangst. "Even with fewer jobs, cannabis is still a major job sector in the U.S.—with over 425,000 full-time roles and sales set to grow more than 13% in 2025, the industry remains a strong economic force."
Growth Ahead: $34 Billion by 2025
The future still looks bright for cannabis. The report predicts the industry will grow another 13.1% in 2025, with sales reaching $34 billion.
Beau Whitney, the top economist at Whitney Economics, noted that cannabis firms "are hiring more carefully and staying strong through tough times."
What This Means
The data shows an industry that's growing up—moving from fast growth to smarter growth. Cannabis firms now focus more on making money and cutting waste rather than just getting bigger.
This move toward what Humiston calls "better business habits" shows both a maturing market and a response to the tough economy that affects all businesses.
For those working in cannabis, these numbers show that people still want to buy plenty of legal cannabis, even as shops learn to run leaner and smarter.