Oklahoma ranks 9th in the nation in new cannabis job report
A new job report from Leafly ranked Oklahoma 9th in the nation for total cannabis jobs in 2021. There are now more cannabis workers than construction workers in the state.
Oklahoma ranked 9th in total cannabis jobs in Leafly's 2021 Job Report. The ranks are measured by the state's actual job numbers and Oklahoma made the top 10 with less than 4 million residents, sharing the spotlight with states like California that are home to more than 39 million people.
"Oklahoma’s medical marijuana industry continued to thrive in 2020, more than doubling the state’s 2019 sales total. Patients there purchased $808 million in products, a 131% annual gain that created more than 6,000 new jobs. Oklahoma’s legal cannabis industry now employs 16,759 state residents. There are now more cannabis workers than construction workers (9,140) in Oklahoma."
Cannabis jobs: 16,759
Jobs added in 2020: 6,237
2020 Cannabis sales: $831 million
According to the report, there are now more than 321,000 full time equivalent cannabis jobs in the United States. 77,000 of those jobs were created in 2020 in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, which the report also explores the effects of as it relates to the cannabis industry. While labor initially tightened just as in other industries, boosts in sales allowed the cannabis industry to sustain its unrivaled growth trajectory.
“Since 2017, the US cannabis industry has averaged 27.5% growth each year. No other industry even comes close.”
In terms of growth, Oklahoma more than doubled their cannabis sales revenues in 2020 compared to 2019.
While positive trends continue to emerge, we still face challenges in the conflict between state and federal law that restrict further economic growth and equity of opportunity. The more these trends can be demonstrated however, the closer we can move to real reform that validates these businesses and their economic contributions.
The attorneys at Gies Law Firm understand the needs of Oklahoma's small businesses and the unique landscape cannabis professionals have to navigate in meeting them. Contact us today if we can serve your vision. From start up to buy out, we strive to help you thrive.
