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BOSTON (WBZNewsRadio) - Massachusetts is now considered a new "leader" in cannabis expansion and innovation, according to a new report from Leafly.
The annual 2021 legal cannabis jobs report shows Massachusetts operates a robust and well-regulated cannabis industry, earning $1.65 billion in total sales for the 2021 year and supporting 27,212 jobs. That $1.65 billion revenue figure represents an 81% increase over 2020 sales.
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What's more, the state continues to bring more licensed recreational retail stores online, with 387 retail licenses approved as of early 2022, up from around 270 in late 2020. The creation and operation of these shops allows the state to continue migrating consumers away from the illegal market. These retail shops also add to the state's job count in the legal regulated industry.
Cannabis industry workers now outnumber lawyers, police and sheriff’s patrol officers, firefighters, and physical therapists in the state.
WBZ's Jim MacKay (@JimMacKayOnAir) reports:
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