Leafly’s annual jobs report predicts the US cannabis industry could support up to 1.75 million jobs if recreational use was legalised at the federal level.
The industry already supports 428k full-time equivalent jobs in the US, 2021 marking the first year job creation hit six figures with 107k new jobs, up from 77k in 2020 and 33k in 2019.
“To put that in perspective, America’s entire financial sector added 145k jobs last year,” the report said. “The construction industry… added 165k jobs.”
The 33% increase compares favourably with US Bureau of Labor Statistics projections that employment growth in business and financial occupations will grow by only 8% over the next decade.
“Despite the ongoing economic and employment challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, cannabis continues to be the most powerful job creator in America, with no other industry coming close,” Leafly said in a statement.
CEO Yoko Miyashita added: “Since 2014, when the nation’s first adult-use cannabis stores opened, the industry has created hundreds of thousands of new American jobs – and there are still plenty more yet to be created.
“We know the potential cannabis has as both an economic driver and force for good, and it’s heartening to see employment numbers continue to reflect this strong growth.”
