Americans Bought More Cannabis Than Starbucks Coffee

In the past year, Starbucks—the most popular coffee chain in the United States—sold $20.5 billion worth of coffee. Meanwhile, all cannabis stores and dispensaries across the country sold $27 billion worth of products. While people used to joke that Starbucks had a location on every corner, it seems that title is now shifting to cannabis retailers. All that’s left is for them to surpass Apple and put a joint in every hand.

For years, American pop culture has poked fun at Starbucks for being everywhere. But now, that joke needs an update: according to the latest report from industry portal MjBizDaily, legal cannabis sales in the U.S. have outpaced the coffee giant by at least a third.

This is especially notable considering coffee is legal in all 50 states, while medical and recreational cannabis can only be purchased in 39 states.

Faster Growth in the Cannabis Industry

According to MjBizDaily, the cannabis industry is also growing faster than coffee. In 2021, Starbucks sales grew by 25% to reach $20.5 billion, while cannabis sales increased by 30% to hit $27 billion. For comparison, over-the-counter sleep aid sales—the most common reason people use cannabis—grew by just 1%. Similarly, the pain relief market saw only a 5% increase in sales.

Future Projections

This year, analytics agency BDSA previously forecasted that cannabis sales will exceed $28 billion, and by 2026, the market is expected to grow to $46 billion.