Americans Want Marijuana More Than Pizza, Ice Cream, and 10 Other Products
A young demonstrator takes part in a march calling for the legalization
of marijuana in Brazil. | Nelson Almeida/AFP/Getty Images
Marijuana is legal for recreational consumption in
just a handful of states,
but Americans’ appetite is growing. Medical marijuana is more
widespread, and it appears that full legalization is imminent in many
other states. As of 2016, combined sales for both medical and
recreational cannabis totaled between $4 billion and $4.5 billion. And
even though sales are only legal in limited areas, revenue is already
overtaking those in other, more established industries.
A report from
Marijuana Business Daily
says revenue is set to grow exponentially. And though actual revenue,
at this point, still lags way behind sales of cigarettes and beer, the
demand for marijuana — the amount Americans actually want — is estimated
to be higher than a number of other products and services.
Per the report,
the estimated total demand for recreational marijuana in the U.S. is between $45 billion and $50 billion.
Americans aren’t necessarily getting that much pot, at least not
through legal means, but that’s an eye-opening number that should have
executives in other industries peeking over their shoulders.
It’s not hard to imagine the pot industry could eat into those
revenues as legalization spreads. Right now, however, that demand (and
the current sales marks) is
already beating out many other products and services. Here are 12 you might find surprising, as even pizza is struggling to keep up.
1. Girl Scout cookies
Who doesn’t love Thin Mints and Samoas? Girl Scout cookies are one of
those pesky snacks you actually feel bad not purchasing. You do, after
all, want to support young girls as they learn leadership skills.
According to the Marijuana Business Daily report, Americans eat up $776
million worth of Girl Scout cookies every year. That’s a fraction of
legal and medical marijuana sales.
Next: This popular drink is only about half as popular as legal and medical marijuana.
2. Tequila
A shot of tequila | iStock.com
Many Americans steer clear of tequila, but it still sells in enormous
volumes. The report shows Americans buy $2.3 billion in tequila
annually, which is roughly half of the current expenditures on legal and
medical pot. This, of course, is only a fraction of a larger industry:
alcohol. Compare tequila sales to beer, for example, which is more than
$105 billion annually.
Next: Music has nothing on marijuana.
3. Music streaming services
A woman listens to music on her phone. | Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images
We all love music, and these days, streaming services are the way to
go. There are a variety of services out there, such as Spotify, Apple
Music, and Amazon Music Unlimited. Combined, however, these services
only amount to $2.5 billion in annual sales. That’s no small number, of
course. But it still lags behind the level of marijuana sales — and well
behind the estimated demand for legal pot.
Next: Marijuana has more demand than Viagra?
4. Erectile dysfunction medication
Viagra | Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Erectile dysfunction affects a lot of people — an
estimated 52% of men
will experience it at some point in their lives. And a lot of them are
under age 40. This makes for a solid level of demand for treatments,
typically dispensed in the form of Viagra or Cialis. Annual sales for
those two drugs combined is $2.7 billion, per the report, which still
isn’t enough to eclipse current marijuana sales.
Next: Sure, everyone loves pizza, but …
5. Frozen pizza
Pizza | iStock.com/bhofack2
We’ve all bought a frozen pizza. Whether it was a DiGiorno,
Freschetta, Tombstone, or some frozen concoction from California Pizza
Kitchen, frozen pizzas are a staple for millions of people. All told,
Americans spend $4.4 billion on frozen pies every year. This is the
first item on Marijuana Business Daily’s list that overtakes current
marijuana sales. But it’s still way, way behind estimated demand.
Next: Marijuana and snacks go together like Cheech and Chong.
6. Doritos, Cheetos, and Funyuns
A Chester the Cheetah figure | Slaven Viasic/Getty Images
Marijuana and snacks are two peas in a pod. If you were to picture
the stereotypical (though probably not accurate) stoner in your mind,
they might have their hand shoved into a bag of Doritos or Cheetos.
Well, sales of those two products, plus Funyuns, add up to $4.9 billion.
That’s roughly 10% of estimated demand for legal pot.
7. Ice cream
Ice cream | iStock.com/dulezidar
It’s hard to believe people want marijuana more than ice cream, but
the report seems to indicate that is indeed the case. Retail sales for
ice cream, per Marijuana Business Daily, adds up to $5.1 billion per
year. There are some caveats, of course, as there are other unaccounted
ice cream sales. And you can bet armies of children, very few of whom
are interested in marijuana, create a large pool of demand for ice cream
that might fly under the radar.
Next: The big screen might have to compete for big green.
8. Movie tickets
A movie ticket is an expensive form of entertainment. | Universal Pictures
Movies are expensive, and with so many sequels, reboots, and total
stinkers invading local theaters, it’s hard to blame someone for wanting
to do something else with their time and money. Even so, annual movie
ticket sales still count for $11.1 billion, per the report. If the
estimates for legal pot demand prove to be true, the film industry might
find another entertainment option with which to compete.
Next: How does the demand of love stack up?
9. Engagement and wedding rings
Wedding rings | iStock.com/paulrichstudio
Wedding and engagement rings are expensive — sometimes on a level
that borders ridiculous. Getting married is a big life event, so most
people are OK with splurging to make it special.
Although this isn’t included on Marijuana Business Daily’s report,
it’s worthwhile to include wedding rings to get an idea of how high
demand for marijuana actually is. Demand for wedding rings is
around $11 billion, according to 2011 numbers from Knot Market Intelligence.
Next: Child care is expensive.
10. Child care
Children play at a day care center. | Carsten Koall/Getty Images
Child care is incredibly expensive, and Americans spend a lot of
money to ensure their children are taken care of while they work. And
that demand is roughly equal to the demand for legal marijuana. The
demand for pot is between $45 billion and $50 billion. And child care
demand, according to
IBISWorld’s market research, is $48 billion. So, right now, they’re more or less on equal footing.
Next: How does gambling stack up?
11. Gambling
Slot machine | Christopher Furlong /Getty Images
Would you believe marijuana demand is higher than the amount of money
gambled every year? It appears that’s the case. According to 2010 data
from the American Gambling Association, Americans gamble away
$34.6 billion per year. Roughly
one-third of that happens during the NCAA basketball tournament, or March Madness. Still, demand for legal pot is higher.
Next: Marijuana sales will soon overtake this popular sport.
12. The NFL
NFL legend Drew Brees | Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images
The NFL is huge. From September through February, it’s all over the
TV, radio, and internet. But the marijuana industry will catch up to the
NFL’s girth — and soon. In terms of dollar amounts, demand for weed is
already eclipsing Americans’ appetite for pro football. In just a few
years, actual sales — and not just estimated demand — will overtake the
NFL’s $13.3 billion in revenues.
Culled from Culture Cheat Sheet
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