Almost 500,000 people work in the legal marijuana industry, so how many people still work in the illegal market?

The exponential increase in cannabis sales over the past two years has fueled a massive expansion of the cannabis industry. The total number of full-time employees in the cannabis sector today is almost 500,000. And continues to rise monthly as more states establish their legal cannabis markets.

Last Wednesday, Leafly announced that hundreds of Americans are moving into the cannabis industry as cannabis companies open up more job opportunities. As states go online, various positions open up in those companies. As these companies mature and expand, other people are placed in new positions.

There are currently dozens of cannabis jobs in the industry, and more marijuana jobs are being created every day in cultivation, processing, retail, and even supply niches. The industry is just getting started.

Employment opportunities in the US cannabis industry

Before the massive surge in sales during the pandemic, the marijuana industry had fewer than 100,000 workers. The increase in cannabis job creation began as retail sales grew exponentially.

As states like New Jersey, Connecticut, and New York roll out retail sales in the coming months, cannabis workers will top half a million. The 2021 figures show a significant difference in the number of workers from 2020 to 2021. Notwithstanding the ongoing problems, the cannabis industry has continued to thrive in the global business space. In fact, many laid-off workers from other sectors have switched careers to delve into the various niches in the cannabis space.

In 2021, legal cannabis states will create at least 100,000 new jobs in the US cannabis industry. Compared to 2019’s 32,700 new jobs, last year was the best year for the cannabis industry. Around 76,000 jobs will be created in 2020. One can only wonder what that number will look like at the end of the year. As of December 31, 2021, the total number of workers in the marijuana industry was set at 428,059 — almost a hundred thousand more than in 2020.

More details on the report

Leafly has partnered with Whitney Economics, a cannabis economics analysis firm, to produce this in-depth report. The report also indicated that both recreational and medicinal cannabis markets across all jurisdictions in the country sold at least US$25 billion worth of cannabis products from January to December 2021. That number is about $6 billion more than total cannabis sales in 2020.

The report emphasizes that the marijuana industry has the fastest growth in the global market. It has outperformed other legal traditional markets and is still happy with the move. The sector has an employment growth rate of more than 25 percent; this has been the case since 2018. Compared to the cannabis industry, other conventional companies have grown less than 10 percent. Experts assume that this trend will continue until the end of the current decade in 2030.

Leafly explained that the industry’s expansion is being held back by a shortage of jobs, pending retail implementations and vacancies. From now until retail sales roll out in various states, employees will be busy hiring enough workers to ensure they are able to meet their future needs.

an economic factor

For many jurisdictions, the cannabis industry acts as an economic engine, propelling their various economies to new heights. Since retail sales of recreational cannabis were first implemented in 2014, the US cannabis industry has created hundreds of thousands of new job openings. Leafly CEO Yoko Miyashita pointed out that hundreds of new American jobs will be created in the coming years. An official statement said the cannabis industry has the potential to be an economic determinant of edibles in future jurisdictions where hemp and cannabis-infused edibles are gaining traction. He expressed his delight at the increasing number of new jobs in the cannabis industry. He says the employment numbers reflect positive growth in the industry.

Miyashita mentioned that his company, Leafly, is proud to campaign for the legalization of cannabis nationwide. He pledged that Leafly will continue to connect consumers and investors with reliable information about the industry. Note that there is a significant gap created by the lack of federal coverage of cannabis-related issues. Without Leafly and other cannabis publishing groups like Cannabis.net, many would be in the dark about the state of cannabis operations in the country. As long as an equitable and accessible federal cannabis program is approved by the legislature or the executive branch of government, more positive changes will be seen.

There’s no better time to call for cannabis reform than election years. The midterm elections will be held this year. Voters must ensure elected officials understand the need for cannabis reform. In countries like Canada and Germany, cannabis has remained a leading domestic industry. America, too, can achieve its goal of a just and profitable industry in the shortest possible time.

The reality of the cannabis industry

The cannabis industry is becoming one of the most populous industries for workers in the United States. Experts analyzed the numbers from the industry and discovered three times as many workers in the marijuana ecosystem as there are dentists. In fact, it could be argued that there are more cannabis jobs than barbers and tailors combined.

At this rate, the total number of workers employed in cannabis companies will reach and exceed one million workers. The total annual cannabis industry revenue could also double by 2025. Even at this level, the industry would still not be able to cover half of its potential market.

bottom line

The American cannabis industry, excluding the black market, creates an average of 250 new jobs every day. That means one person is hired for a cannabis-related job every two minutes. If that number seems possible, consult the latest data on tax collection and marijuana sales in various jurisdictions and you will be amazed.

It’s more than obvious that the cannabis industry is here to stay. It will continue to expand as more states enact reforms for medical and recreational cannabis. As it grows, hundreds of new jobs will be created to meet consumer demand. If you’re looking to change careers, look no further than the cannabis industry.

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