Cannabis Sales Are Up, But Jobs Are Down: Why Insiders Call It A Strategic Reset For Survival

The U.S. cannabis industry added $1.3 billion in new legal sales in 2024, yet it lost more than 15,000 full-time jobs.

That's the contradiction at the center of the 2025 Cannabis Jobs Report, released Tuesday by cannabis staffing firm Vangst in partnership with Whitney Economics. The annual analysis tracks job growth, revenue trends and workforce dynamics across every regulated state market.

According to the report, the U.S. cannabis sector now supports 425,002 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs, a 3.4% decline from 2023. This drop came despite $30.1 billion in legal retail sales, a 4.5% increase year-over-year.

"The cannabis industry has shifted from a phase of hypergrowth to one of operational discipline," said Karson Humiston, CEO of Vangst. "Despite a slight decline in jobs, cannabis remains one of the nation's leading employment sectors."

A Flatline In Jobs, But A Jump In Sales

This marks the first notable employment contraction since the post-pandemic boom. Between 2017 and 2023, the industry added hundreds of thousands of new roles, but 2024 brought headwinds like tax pressure, oversupply and regulatory bottlenecks.

Cannabis Job Growth Since 2017

While overall sales rose, employers shifted toward leaner staffing models to preserve margins. Many moved away from full-time hires and instead adopted temp-to-hire or seasonal strategies, especially in cultivation and processing.

State-By-State Shake-Up

Legal cannabis continues to be a major economic driver, especially in states that recently launched or expanded adult-use programs.

Top 5 states by cannabis job growth in 2024:

Conversely, several mature markets saw steep job losses:

States with Job Gains vs. Job Losses

In Illinois, where the effective sales tax rate on cannabis is 36.25%, consumers continued to cross state lines for cheaper options. That tax pressure, combined with rising competition from hemp-derived THC and the illicit market, capped legal participation and limited hiring.

Strategic Staffing Replaces Expansion

Just 27.3% of cannabis businesses were profitable in 2024, according to Whitney Economics. Another 40% broke even, prompting many companies to restructure.

Also read: Germany’s Cannabis Industry Hits 500 Million Euros: 2,500 Pharmacies Now Dispense, 211 Grow Clubs Approved

Instead of growing headcount, companies prioritized:

• Short-term or seasonal labor
• Cross-functional teams
• Operational efficiency over scale

"The industry is maturing, shifting from rapid expansion to smart, strategic growth," said Beau Whitney, chief economist at Whitney Economics.

States Lead While Federal Reform Stalls

A potential DEA reclassification of cannabis to Schedule III sparked optimism in early 2024. But a postponed hearing and election-year gridlock stalled progress.

With no major federal changes expected in 2025, state-level activity remains the primary driver. New York is projected to nearly double its retail sales this year, while Ohio's adult-use rollout continues. Maryland, despite a recent tax hike from 9% to 12%, is forecast for further growth.

Meanwhile, California, Illinois and Washington continue to face structural challenges, including high taxes and sluggish consumer participation.

Forecast: $34 Billion In Sales In 2025

Vangst and Whitney project legal cannabis sales will reach $34 billion by the end of 2025, a 13.1% increase over last year. Whether job numbers rebound will depend on market stability, consumer migration to legal channels and tax or compliance relief.

"What we're witnessing is not a slowdown, but a strategic reset," said Whitney. "The industry is adapting, adjusting and preparing for its next chapter."

Photo: Shutterstock. Charts courtesy of Vangst.