Update (October 9, 2026): When this article ran in June, a projection of roughly $2.6 billion in 2026 legal cannabis sales was circulating; City & State cited that figure in a March profile of the state's top cannabis regulator. Sales data the state has published since then point to a smaller, though still record, year. Details are below.
This story covers the money: what New Yorkers are spending at licensed stores and how the 2026 total is shaping up. For the licensing pipeline behind those stores, see our piece on the Cannabis Control Board's 32-license batch. For the agency running the market, see our look at OCM under John Kagia.
Where 2025 ended
New York's Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) reported $1.69 billion in retail cannabis sales for calendar 2025, in its February 2026 board release. The same release said about 582 dispensaries were open, and that the 287 stores that opened during 2025 made up roughly 40 percent of December sales. In other words, much of the growth came from new stores rather than higher sales at existing ones.
What the state has reported for 2026 so far
OCM's monthly and quarterly updates give a running picture:
| Period | Reported figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Jan.–April | More than $553 million (adult-use) | May 7 release |
| Week of April 20 | About $37.9 million, up 20% from 2025; single-day high of $8.6 million | May 7 release |
| Jan.–June | About $895.4 million (adult-use and medical) | July 3 release |
| June | Average of about $5.26 million per day | July 3 release |
| July–Sept. (Q3) | $512.6 million | October 2 release |
| Jan.–Sept. | $1.41 billion | October 2 release |
| Since launch | More than $4.1 billion | October 2 release |
OCM has said repeatedly that sales per store have held steady as the store count grows, which suggests new shops are adding to the market rather than simply splitting the existing pie.
Why $2.6 billion now looks out of reach
Reaching $2.6 billion would require about $1.19 billion in October–December sales, more than double the $512.6 million recorded in the third quarter. Holiday shopping can lift fourth-quarter sales, but nothing in the state's data suggests a jump of that size.
A rough High Today estimate: if the fourth quarter roughly matches the third, 2026 would finish around $1.9 billion to $2 billion. That would still beat 2025's $1.69 billion by something in the low-to-mid teens in percentage terms. Two caveats: this is our arithmetic, not an OCM forecast, and OCM's 2026 totals include medical sales in some releases, so comparisons with 2025 may not be exactly like for like.
What's driving growth, and what's limiting it
More stores. OCM counted 582 open dispensaries in February, 655 in early May and 717 in September. Its October release, using a slightly different measure, said 712 of 1,039 licensed retailers had reported opening.
Enforcement. OCM says it has padlocked 674 unlicensed shops statewide as of its August 3 enforcement release, up from the 557 cited in earlier coverage. The same release described the largest seizure in agency history: more than $17 million in illicit product in Greece, Monroe County.
Prices. Steady per-store sales during a store boom also reflect competition on price. Our explainer on cannabis price compression in New York covers what that means for shoppers and operators.
Uneven access. Many municipalities still opt out of retail sales, which limits where new stores can open; City & State's March interview with Executive Director John Kagia cited roughly half the state opting out as one of the market's structural limits.
Update: October 2026
- Reporting changes. In August, OCM said it was moving retail sales reporting to a quarterly schedule, so monthly figures are no longer the norm.
- New dashboard. In September, OCM launched a Cannabis Market Landscape Dashboard built on Metrc seed-to-sale data, with statewide and regional sales, category trends and transaction values.
- Q3 result. Third-quarter sales of $512.6 million brought 2026 to $1.41 billion through September.
What to watch next
Fourth-quarter numbers are likely to appear after the year ends, probably in an early-2027 board release, since OCM now reports quarterly. Watch whether the store count keeps rising by roughly 15 to 20 a month, as it did from February through September, and whether per-store sales hold as more of the 327 licensed-but-unopened retailers open their doors. For shoppers, a growing market means more competition; you can compare current cannabis deals at licensed stores on High Today.
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