Michigan listed as top-three state in the cannabis industry, report shows

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - Michigan is one of the country's top markets for the cannabis industry, a new report shows.

In 2021, Michigan saw a 72% increase in full-time cannabis jobs with $1.79 billion in sales, according to Leafly.

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Their 2021 report shows Michigan ranked third in the country for total cannabis employment; only behind the states of California and Colorado.

Leafly also reports that employment numbers in the industry are only beat by restaurant waitstaff, which has 55,920 employees in the state.

There are 31,152 cannabis workers in Michigan. That number is thousands above positions like electricians at 20,450, police at 16,220, lawyers at 13,790, and firefighters at 6,570.

The growth is due to the hundreds of recreational dispensaries that have opened up since December 2019. Despite the growth, only 160 of the state's 1,700 cities and townships have opted to allow recreational cannabis business in their communities.

One economic estimate that Leafly used found the state's cannabis industry was around $3.2 billion - which includes both legal and illegal sales of cannabis. That "means the current legal system is fulfilling just over half the demand."

Leafly is a website that aims to teach the cannabis industry's who, what and where. Its focus is on cannabis education and use.

In the U.S., customers spent $25 billion on cannabis in 2021, report shows.

Americans spent more money on cannabis than milk, spending only $16 billion last year. U.S. shoppers spent the most on beer, wine, and nutritional supplements.