Mature cannabis markets see job losses as emerging states boom

Despite a 4.5% increase in revenue that reached $30.1 billion in 2024, the regulated marijuana industry experienced a 3.4% decline in employment, shedding 15,000 jobs to settle at 425,000 workers.The trend signals that cannabis operators are recalibrating in response to economic conditions, market saturation leading to price compression and burdensome state and local taxes that push consumers to unregulated markets, according to Vangst’s “U.S.

Cannabis Jobs Report 2025.” ADVERTISEMENT But it’s important to look at individual regulated markets rather than the United States as a whole, said Portland, Oregon-based cannabis data analyst Beau Whitney, who wrote the report for Vangst, an cannabis industry recruitment platform in Denver.“Mature markets are atrophying and seeing declining revenue because of price compression,” Whitney told MJBizDaily.

“In Oregon, we have so many licenses and so much oversupply that people just aren’t making it anymore.“When you’re struggling just to survive, it’s really tough to add workers.” While many cannabis businesses in mature markets are cutting jobs, emerging markets such as Maryland, New York and Ohio are experiencing job growth.

New York added 743 new adult-use marijuana licenses, which translated into a 209% increase in jobs.But mature markets, particularly California and Illinois, are experiencing significant declines: California lost nearly 4,000 jobs because of high taxes and a saturated market.

Illinois saw a 25% job loss because of high sales taxes and competition from neighboring states.“People just aren’t making any money in this space anymore,” Whitney said.

“It takes a long time to get a license and approvals, and people just run out of cash.” ADVERTISEMENT U.S.wages top Canada’s In a separate report, White Ash Group looked at salaries for cannabis industry workers.

The Toronto-base...