Tourism, Tax Revenue Up in Cannabis-Friendly States

Legal cannabis sales began in Colorado 18 months ago and since then tourism has been up 14 percent.

While Coloradans say the increase is due to a lot of things, K.C. Becker represents the Boulder area and went to Seattle to share the Colorado experience.

ā€œWe’re certainly seeing an increase in the occupation of our industrial spaces and retail spaces from retail marijuana and the grow facilities,ā€ Becker said.

In Seattle, cannabis is legally advertised on billboards. One entrepreneur offered tours of grow houses.

Jill Lane, a master grower, said she sees plenty of out-of-staters.

ā€œOn a given Friday night, we’ll see drivers licenses from forty states, so we get folks from all over the country,ā€ said Logan Bowers, the owner of Hashtag Marijuana.

In Washington, officials said they immediately saw an increase in tourism when cannabis became legal.Ā  ā€œPeople want to see what a marijuana grow looks like,” said Randy Simmons, with the Washington Liquor and Cannabis Control Board. “People want to go and look at a marijuana retail store, whether they are buying or not. It’s the ability to go an see something that has been illegal for so long.ā€

Washington brought in $65 million in cannabis tax revenue in the first year of sales.

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