Illinois dispensaries net nearly $40M in first month of legal pot sales

Illinois' first month of legal recreational marijuana generated nearly $40 million in sales, state officials announced Monday.

Sales to Illinois residents totaled $30.6 million while sales to out-of-state residents totaled $8.6 million, according to figures from Gov. J.B. Pritzker's office.

There were 972,045 items sold at Illinois dispensaries over the 31-day period, making for about $40 per sale.

"The successful launch of the Illinois' legal cannabis industry represents new opportunies for entrepreneurs and the very communities that have historically been harmed by the failed war on drugs," said Toi Hutchinson, senior adviser for cannabis control to Gov. Pritzker.

A portion of every cannabis sale will be reinvested in communities harmed most by the failed war on drugs, according to state officials.

The Cook County Board of Commissioners recently passed an added 3-percent tax on the now-legal drug, which means taxes will surpass 40 percent on items sold in Chicago come July.

The state recorded nearly $3.2 million in sales on January 1, the first day of legal recreational marijuana sales, followed by $2.2 million on Jan. 2. Customers stood in line for several hours or more to purchase newly legalized recreational pot.