The cannabis market continues to grow each month following the opening of the state’s first recreational dispensary in January 2023. According to data published by the state of Connecticut, recreational cannabis sales reached nearly $19 million in October 2025, marking the highest-grossing month since legal sales began.
State data also shows that October 2025 marked the lowest month for medical cannabis sales since recreational dispensaries opened. Medical sales totaled $5.6 million, down from $9.3 million in January 2025. The numbers highlight a trend of recreational sales surging while medical sales steadily decline.
Kaitlyn Krasselt, a communications official for the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, said the trend reflects what regulators expected when the adult-use market launched.
“We knew there would be some decline in the patient numbers as some people would choose not to renew their medical marijuana patient registration when the adult-use market opened,” Krasselt said. “They may choose not to renew for any number of reasons, and we don’t ask or know why someone may choose not to renew their patient registration. Maybe they don’t need it anymore, or they don’t need as much, or they don’t need the specialty products that are only available to patients, so going through the process to maintain a registration isn’t necessary for them anymore.”
Krasselt said patient numbers also fluctuate for natural reasons within the medical marijuana program.
“Unfortunately, many people are in the medical program because of an illness that, in some cases, may be terminal, so there are some natural fluctuations in the patient numbers over time,” she said. “It’s a small factor, but it can also impact the patient numbers.”
State data supports this trend. At the beginning of 2023, Connecticut reported nearly 49,000 registered medical cannabis patients. By October 2025, that number had dropped to about 32,000. Despite losing nearly 17,000 patients, the number of medical certifiers has increased each month, rising from 1,643 to 1,922 with no recorded decreases.
While patients leaving the medical program contribute to the decline in sales, Duncan Markovich said it is not the only cause. Markovich, a longtime advocate for marijuana in Connecticut, is the owner and founder of Better Ways, a cannabis therapeutic company based in Branford. He said the way the recreational and medical markets operate is also affecting patient access.
“My belief is that Connecticut has done a terrible job managing its medical program since the opening of recreational dispensaries,” Markovich said. “In Connecticut, if you’re running a dispensary, you have to buy your product from one of the growers based in Connecticut and approved by the DCP, such as Curaleaf. These companies are major multimillion-dollar corporations that have no respect for the plant of cannabis or the growers who actually know about the cannabis products. They are incentivized to push products into the recreational business because that’s where the real profit is. I have talked to so many medical users who simply cannot find the products they need because of how the recreational products are incentivized over the medical products.”
Krasselt, however, disputed his claims. She said the Department of Consumer Protection and the state of Connecticut prioritize both medical and recreational cannabis and said there is no evidence that the state favors recreational sales.
The state’s cannabis sales dashboard shows recreational revenue now regularly exceeds medical revenue by several million dollars each month, even though medical patients can purchase higher-potency products and are exempt from cannabis taxes.
Despite concerns about product availability, some medical patients say the program remains vital. Michelle Jerry, a medical cannabis patient in Stratford, said she relies on medical products to help manage her anxiety.
“I’ve been using medical cannabis for around two and a half years now, and it’s really helped me stay grounded when my anxiety gets overwhelming,” Jerry said. “I wasn’t really looking to use marijuana, but when my doctor prescribed it to me, I found that it’s been very beneficial.”
She said she understands why some users may switch to the recreational market.
“If your primary focus is just to get marijuana, I understand why someone would leave the medical program,” Jerry said. “You wouldn’t have to get routine check-ins with your doctor, and sometimes at the dispensary, it is harder to get higher-potency medical products due to limited supply.”
For recreational users, convenience is often a deciding factor. Oliver Lunsford, a Guilford resident who moved from Philadelphia, said Connecticut’s system feels both accessible and safe.
“I just moved to Connecticut this year, and I think what they do with their dispensaries is awesome,” Lunsford said. “In Philadelphia, you still can’t buy cannabis for recreational use legally. This means I’d often have to go to corner stores to buy it illegally, which means there’s risk attached. When I moved to Connecticut, it was great that I could just show my ID at a recreational dispensary and get a product I knew was safe.”
For now, state data shows a recreational cannabis market that continues to grow with no signs of slowing. Medical sales, meanwhile, continue a downward trend as patients shift away from the program or, in some cases, pass away.
