SEATTLE, Wash. – Washington residents turned to cannabis in greater numbers as boredom and loneliness caused by the pandemic set in.
The Seattle Times looked at data from the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board from 2019 to 2021.
It found that cannabis retail sales increased by double digits or more in every county in the state, except for Garfield and Franklin Counties which don’t have any pot shops.
It really took off in eastern Washington, with Lincoln County seeing an increase of 144%, Pend Oreille County was up 110% and Stevens County up by 100%.
Whatcom County sales were up 39%, Skagit increased by 38% and San Juan County saw 57% more sales during the pandemic.
Total cannabis retail sales in Washington topped $1.5 billion in 2021, generating $550 million in excise taxes for the state.