Canada Sets Monthly Cannabis Sales Record, Surpasses California as World’s Largest Legal Market

Canada’s licensed cannabis retailers set a new monthly sales record in June, reaching CA$517.8 million (about $374.5 million USD) and surpassing California’s $372.4 million USD for the same month, according to SF Gate. The shift makes Canada the world’s largest legal cannabis market for June, as California continues to face high taxes, strict regulations, local bans, and illicit competition.

Licensed cannabis retailers in Canada set a new monthly sales record in June of CA$517.8 million, or about $374.5 million USD, according to SF Gate. That figure exceeds the $372.4 million USD generated by California during the same month, making Canada the world’s largest legal cannabis market for June.

The two markets have similarly sized populations, but their regulatory paths have diverged. California’s cannabis industry has struggled with high taxes, strict regulations, local bans, and competition from a rampant illicit market, while the Canadian market has continued growing with new businesses and overseas export opportunities.

Retail access also differs sharply. California currently has 3.7 cannabis dispensaries or delivery services per 100,000 people, while Canada has 7.9 cannabis stores per 100,000 people, according to the report.

Los Angeles-based cannabis consultant Hirsh Jain told SF Gate that California had all of the advantages it needed to become a global leader in cannabis reforms, “Yet poor policymaking has turned what should have been the world’s premier legal cannabis market into a cautionary tale.”

The June result follows an earlier milestone in 2024, when Michigan outpaced California in total legal cannabis sales, although California still generated more revenue that year.