New York’s legal weed sales top $5M a day — but illegal market could be 10 times larger

It’s a record high.

New York State’s daily legal weed sales topped $5 million for the first time in history, new data showed — but experts estimated illicit sales could be a whopping 10 times higher.

Daily sales averaged $5.14 million in April up from $4.85 million in March, $4.76 million in February and $4.4 million in January, according to state data.

But despite the buzz illicit sales are much higher, with one expert estimating it could be as high as $50 million.

“I have four illicit stores within walking distance of my store. It’s under the counter,” said Osbert Orduna, CEO of The Cannabis Place in Middle Village.

“It’s the convenience store model.”

“The illicit market continues on a daily basis,” he said, noting some illegal vendors are still offering their products through Meta and Google platforms. 

“There are physical stores and the illegal online delivery sales are exponential.”

There are now 659 licensed retail merchants selling weed and other cannabis products in New York State while Empire State authorities have shuttered more than 600 illicit shops since weed became legal.

The state Cannabis Control Board approved 32 new cannabis licenses last week, bringing the total number of licenses to 2,259 for the industry, which includes marijuana farmers/cultivators, processors, “microbusinesses” as well as retail dispensaries.

“Growth at this stage isn’t just about adding licenses, it’s about building a stable and sustainable market as more operators come online,” said John Kagia, the acting executive director of the state Office of Cannabis Management.

“We’re seeing real progress in how businesses are ramping up, how the supply chain is functioning, and how the market is starting to normalize across regions.”

But city Sheriff Anthony Miranda said authorities are still fighting the illegal shops.

The sheriff’s office and the NYPD just shut down an illegal “grow house” in the Bronx on Tuesday.

“The illegal market continues to evolve. We have to be vigilant,” he said.

“Illegal operators are making deliveries. They have an online presence. The laws have not kept up with the nuances of the industry,”

The sheriff’s office and NYPD have sealed more than 1,650 illicit pot shops, according to Miranda.

Total cannabis sales from licensed operators since the inception in 2022 following the legalization of marijuana for adult use totals $3.2 billion.

Pot sales totalled $1.7 billion over the prior 12 months and $553 million from January through April.

The cannabis market also saw more activity around the unofficial April 20 cannabis holiday, generating $37.9 million in sales for the week — a 20% increase over 2025 — with single-day sales on the day reaching $8.6 million.

Meanwhile, the OCM said it will create its own capital loan fund to help weed merchants.

A loan program run by another agency turned into a bad trip for debtors.

In 2024, the Hochul administration halted a multimillion-dollar state Dormitory Authority fund designed to help disadvantaged people open cannabis shops.

Critics alleged the fund became predatory with high interest.

OCM officials vowed not to saddle weed merchants with too much debt.