DENVER — Thousands gathered in Civic Center Park on Monday for Denver’s annual 420 festival, but behind the celebration, Colorado’s marijuana industry is in the middle of a years-long economic downturn that shows no signs of reversing.
Denver marijuana sales peaked at $514 million in 2020 and fell to $272 million by 2025 — a decline of nearly 47%. Statewide, Colorado marijuana sales have dropped more than 40% since their 2021 peak of more than $2.2 billion.
“The marijuana industry has been in a prolonged recession in Denver and across Colorado since it really hit its peak during the pandemic,” said Eric Escudero, a spokesman for the Denver Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection…