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| Sunday, August 16, 2020
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SOGoodHerb.com
RETAIL
PANDEMIC FUELS
POT-BUYING EXPLOSION By Damian Mann
S
ales of cannabis punched through the stratosphere in May, soaring 55% over last May and eclipsing April’s banner month in Jackson County, based on data from the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. “We’ve had a lot of people who have come in kind of stressed out and need to relax,” said C.J. Butler, budtender at Emerald Triangle Dispensary in Medford. “Everybody seems to have been very inquisitive lately, looking for a way to chill out.” Butler said many Recreational and customers have medical cannabis expressed interest in sales in May 2020 the health benefits of cannabis, particularly focusing on edibles. Recreational and Many customers medical cannabis are looking for help sleeping and other sales in May 2019 ailments, he said. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission has seen a surge in cannabis sales since the pandemic walRecreational and loped the economy medical cannabis in March and forced sales in May 2020 many to stay at home. According to OLCC, JackRecreational and son County saw medical cannabis $5,039,963 in sales sales in April 2020 of recreational and medical cannabis in May 2020 compared to $3,236,580 in May Recreational and 2019. medical cannabis April was another sales in March 2020 record month locally with $4,259,465. Josephine County saw a 69% spike in May compared to May 2019, posting $1,810,946 in cannabis sales. In April, Josephine County posted record sales of $1,480,360 compared to $956,427 last year, and $1,287,896 in March compared to $931,452 in the same month last year.
Jackson County
$5,039,963 $3,236,580
Oregon
$103 million
$89.5 million $84.5 million
PHOTO BY DENISE BARATTA
Fireside Dispensary in Phoenix has not only had an uptick in sales, but buying habits have changed. Instead of Fridays being the peak day for sales, the big days are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday as people stock up for the week.