Colorado marijuana sales skyrocket to more than $996 million in 2015

$996,184,788 — that’s the final tally for Colorado marijuana sales as December 2015 figures show a record-setting finish

Chart of the Week: Wholesale Recreational Cannabis Revenues Rocket 163% in Colorado

The wholesale numbers indicate a thriving market for companies that cultivate marijuana for retailers

Chart of the Week: Cannabis Industry Attracts Highly Educated Leaders

A recent Marijuana Business Daily survey showed 87% of cannabis professionals in executive or management roles have completed some sort of degree or certification after high school. By comparison, 68% of those holding equivalent roles in the broader economy have attained this level of education

Hiring: Two very different ways you can work on weed legalization issues

We know some of the folks who were eventually hired to become product testers at a leading cannabis-infused edibles company. We’ve told you about the all-marijuana job fairs that are more suit-and-tie than tie-dye. We told you about our opening for a weed-and-sex columnist. (And we finally have some good news on that front — to be shared soon.)

Denver council tension remains on controls of new marijuana businesses

City officials’ appraisal is that the markets — both medical and recreational — are saturated, with supply nearly meeting or threatening to exceed demand. The fear is that oversupply would result in legally produced marijuana being sold in the black market. The administration will be pressing the council in coming months to extend the moratorium another two years or more.

Oregon’s recreational pot shoppers adjust to 25 percent sales tax

On Jan. 1, after a three-month tax holiday, Oregon imposed a 25 percent sales tax on recreational marijuana sales. The tax will eventually be replaced with a 17 percent state tax once the Oregon Liquor Control Commission assumes control over recreational marijuana sales later this year.

Annual Colorado marijuana sales near $900 million mark in November 2015

While the state’s December data and year-end totals won’t be available until mid-February, Colorado’s cannabis shops are already approaching the $900 million sales mark with this week’s new November numbers

Marijuana startups face tough crowd of investors at Canopy Boulder demo day

A handful of companies did manage to impress investors, including Ananas, which is manufacturing a precision dosing vaporizer, and Compliant Cannabis, a provider of business data software systems. ” Compliant and Ananas — those guys are what I’m looking at,” said John Wickens, a broker with Brokers Guild Classic who specializes in real estate for the marijuana industry. “All the rest is just window dressing.”

Green Dragon Buys Backcountry Cannabis Location in Breckenridge

Green Dragon Cannabis Co. is a Denver-based chain of cannabis dispensaries. By adding the location in Breckenridge, Green Dragon now owns seven cannabis dispensaries in Colorado, spanning Denver to Glenwood Springs.