More Cannabis Dispensaries Than McDonald’s in the US
According to a study by the Pew Research Center, the number of legal cannabis dispensaries operating in the United States now exceeds the number of McDonald’s restaurants.
Most Americans Have Access to Legal Marijuana
In late 2012, Colorado and Washington became the first US states to legalize recreational marijuana. Since then, California, Oregon, Nevada, Massachusetts, and 18 other states have joined them in lifting the ban on cannabis. As a result, recreational marijuana is now legal in 24 out of 50 states, while medical marijuana is legal in 38 states.
Data from the Pew Research Center shows that 54% of Americans live in states where recreational cannabis is legal, and 74% live in states that have legalized either medical or recreational marijuana. Nearly 15,000 cannabis dispensaries serve these regions, compared to about 13,500 McDonald’s locations. California leads the nation with 3,659 cannabis retail outlets. However, Oklahoma ranks first in dispensaries per capita, with 3.6 stores per 10,000 residents.
Dispensary Distribution Across the US
Map: Cannabis dispensary density in the US (indicated by green circles)
Canadians Have Even Greater Access to Cannabis Products
In the US, there are 0.45 cannabis dispensaries per 10,000 people. If you count only the states where recreational marijuana is legal, the figure rises to 0.83. In Canada, with a population of 38.25 million, there are 3,623 cannabis retail outlets, which means there are 0.94 dispensaries per 10,000 residents. This makes legal marijuana more accessible in Canada than in the US.
Photo: Canadian cannabis dispensary
However, the distribution of cannabis stores in Canada is highly uneven. In Alberta, there are 1.63 dispensaries per 10,000 people, while in Quebec, there are only 0.11. Most stores are located in major cities. For example, Toronto, the capital of Ontario, has 212 cannabis retailers, and Calgary, Alberta’s largest city, has 202.
In 2019, consulting firm AltaCorp Capital found that Canada would need 3,640 cannabis stores to match the high dispensary density of Colorado. Experts estimate that there should be at least one dispensary for every 10,000 people. Given Canada’s current population, the country would need to open at least 202 more stores to reach a total of 3,825.