Colorado was the first state to regulate cannabis, and it continues to be a leader in sensible cannabis policy. Colorado Leads is committed to protecting the work that has been done to establish a vibrant, safe, and responsible cannabis industry in Colorado so it can continue to set a positive example for other jurisdictions across the U.S. and abroad.
Join Colorado Leads
Colorado Leads members include a wide range of licensed cannabis operators and ancillary businesses. We encourage all organizations and individuals who share our vision and mission to consider joining.
Colorado Cannabis Industry Snapshot
2483
Business Operations Licensed
23384
Full-time Jobs Supported
$2.68 Billion
Tax Revenue Collected
Details / Sources
-
Businesses Licensed
The actual number of medical and adult-use cannabis business licenses active in Colorado as of March 4, 2024, including licenses for retail stores, cultivation facilities, product manufacturers, testing facilities, and transporters. Source: “MED Licensee Information,” Colorado Department of Revenue
-
Full-time Jobs Supported
The estimated number of full-time equivalent jobs currently supported by licensed cannabis businesses in Colorado as of March 2024, based on an analysis of employee license data reported by state regulatory agencies. Source: “Jobs Report 2024,” Vangst
-
Annual Taxes/Fees Collected
Total cannabis tax revenue collected by the Colorado Department of Revenue since adult-use sales commenced in 2014. This figure does NOT include cannabis tax and fee revenue collected at the local level. For example, Denver alone has collected more than $500 million in local cannabis tax revenue since 2010. Source: “Marijuana Tax Reports,” Colorado Department of Revenue
What Leaders Are Saying About Cannabis in Colorado
Jared Polis
Colorado Governor
“You only have to look to the success of Colorado to see why the legalization of cannabis has occurred throughout the nation. Colorado has proven that allowing responsible adults to legally purchase marijuana gives money to classrooms rather than cartels; creates jobs rather than addicts; and boosts the economy rather than the prison population.”
Source: The Denver Post
Larry Wolk
Former Executive Director and Chief Medical Officer, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
"We haven‘t seen any dramatic changes from a public-health standpoint . . . we haven’t seen an increase in youth use or adult use, and we haven’t seen an increase in DUIs. We had a little blip as far as calls to emergency control and hospital-room visits, but much of that has leveled off and is explainable by other reasons."
Source: Westword
John Jackson
City Manager and Former Chief of Police, City of Greenwood Village
“In Colorado, marijuana is highly regulated. We have put in place significant safety procedures to ensure legalized marijuana does not contribute to organized crime, diversion to children, or violence in our communities."
Source: KOAA