Verilife – a cannabis retail chain – recently published a white paper focusing on the connections between the number of cannabis dispensaries and state populations. The new report analyzes data from 36 states in which cannabis is sold in some form. Based on the findings, major differences in price per capita are noticeable among weed-friendly states. 

As of February 2020, 33 U.S. states have legalized the cannabis plant for medical use. In addition to this, 11 states – Alaska, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington – have legalized adult-use sale and consumption. Despite the fact that the U.S. map is becoming increasingly green, so to speak, the federal government has not yet removed cannabis from the Schedule 1 category of controlled narcotics. 

Which states and cities had the highest number of cannabis dispensaries per capita? 

Based on the findings of Verilife’s cannabis report, states that rank highest for the most dispensaries per capita are separated into two different categories: early-movers and states with small populations. Among the first U.S. states to legalize cannabis for medical purposes was Oregon; voters approved of Measure 67, the Oregon Medical Mariuana Act, leading to its passing in 1998. 

Unsurprisingly, Oregon was shown to have the most medical cannabis dispensaries per capita; 16.5 dispensaries per 100,000 residents. Alaska (12.7), Colorado (14.1), Montana (15.1) and Oklahoma (15.6) trail closely behind. 

Which states have the highest average retail prices for cannabis?

A separate report carried out by LeafLink – a Los Angeles and New York-based company that specializes in providing wholesale cannabis companies with a marketplace for their goods – spotlighted the wholesale prices of legal weed products in 10 states. Those states were Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon and Washington State.

According to analysts from LeafLink, the average retail price of legal weed is 64 percent higher than the cost of bulk cannabis. Washington State was revealed to be the best-priced state; a discovery that has been attributed to the state’s product diversity and market maturity. Following in Washington State’s footsteps are Arizona, Colorado and Oregon, whereas Alaska and Maryland are ranked the most costly states for retail cannabis.