Colorado marijuana shops on pace to go over $1 billion

Colorado marijuana shops are on route to crack $1 billion in sales this year.

So far, the Colorado Department of Revenue said shops in the state have made more than $270 million.

Pueblo County pot shops are helping in that figure.

The county said the stores made more than $17 million last year.

“We never expected it to run this way,” Marisol Therapeutics owner Mike Stetler said.

The money from marijuana has helped with different community projects in Pueblo County, like building trails to give students a safer route to schools and improving the roads in Pueblo West.

“It’s huge, we really need to be very creative from a Pueblo West standpoint in how we receive additional funds for roads,” Pueblo West Public Works manager Dan Centa said.

Colorado marijuana businesses almost cracked $1 billion last year by making more than $996 million.

If you want to see a county-by-county breakdown on pot sales tax numbers, click here.