The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) published adult use sales figures for December 2021 this week. Adult use sales soared in December 2021, jumping 14.2% to $137.9 million in combined in-state and out-of-state revenues. December 2021 sales represent a new all-time monthly high in Illinois’ adult use market as it turned two years old.
In-state sales were up over 17% month-on-month, jumping from $81.7 million in November to $95.6 million. Out-of-state sales jumped 8.5% to $42.4 million in December 2021. Out-of-state sales were 30.7% of total sales in December 2021.
December 2021 combined in-state and out of state sales skyrocketed by 58.8% over December 2020. Cumulative 2021 adult use sales reached almost $1.38 billion, up 106% over 2020’s total.
Combined medical and adult use sales for December 2021 were $173.3 million, a 13.8% increase from combined medical and adult use sales of $152.2 million in November 2021, and up 99% over combined medical and adult use sales of $86.9 million in December 2020.
The number of items sold in December 2021 was 3.18 million, a 14.9% increase over items sold in November 2021. The average cost per item fell $0.25 to $43.35 in December 2021.
Per item average retail prices continue to fall as more competition and more and varied inventory comes to market at lower price points.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), which oversees the state’s medical cannabis program, also issued patient numbers and sales figures for December 2021 this week. IDPH reported sales of over $35.4 million in December 2021, a 12.3% month-on-month increase over November medical sales of $31.5 million, but up just 2.7% from December 2021 sales of nearly $34.5 million. December 2021 medical sales hit their highest level since March 2021.
Retail sales of medical cannabis included $16.5 million in flower sales, representing 47.6% of total medical sales in December 2021. Medical consumers bought over $18 million of concentrates and infused products in December, a 12% increase over November’s $16.9 million figure.
Since inception, IDPH reports 188,017 patients approved for the program as of December 2021, versus 181,517 in November 2021, an increase of 6,500 qualified patients in the month. Year-on-year, the number of patient approvals for the program is up by 38,305.
IDPH reports 55 medical dispensaries served 70,178 unique patients who purchased nearly 1.3 million grams of dry cannabis in December 2021, versus 67,803 unique patients served in November 2021, who purchased over 1.1 million grams of dry cannabis.
Patients purchased an average of 18.4 grams of dry cannabis in December 2021, an increase of 1.7 grams over the 16.7 grams of dry cannabis purchased in November 2021. Patients paid an average of $12.79 per gram of dry flower in December, versus $12.94 per gram of flower in November 2021.