Fact Check: Are There More Marijuana Employees Than Firefighters in Michigan?

Since it's legalization, the Marijuana industry in Michigan has been booming.

In fact, according to data that was released by the Marijuana Policy Project that analyzed sales in legal states across America, and up until early 2022 when the results were released, Michigan has made more than $270 million dollars in tax revenue off of recreational and medical marijuana sales.

And with revenue rising, that means that jobs are also being added to the industry on a nearly daily basis.

And an alarming stat came up recently that really put into perspective exactly how big Michigan's marijuana industry is these days. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are more people working in a marijuana-related field than there are firefighters in the state of Michigan.

So, just to double check, I looked up the stats: According to the state of Michigan, there are approximately 34,500 fire fighters currently serving the state.

And as of April 2022 with the addition of new workers and dispensaries, the estimated number of people employed by a marijuana related business has now surpassed 35,000 and is continuing to climb with a 72% increase in jobs over the last year.

Why are there so many marijuana jobs in Michigan?

Michigan currently boasts the third most cannabis jobs of any state in the US, with no plan to stop growing anytime soon. One of the major reasons Michigan is able to employ so many people in the industry is the fact we are one of the only states in the US who is not creating state-wide caps on how many dispensaries can exist. Some local ordinances may overrule this policy, but the state is stepping out of the way of marijuana growth as a whole.

Is there a firefighter shortage?

Not as of right now. While there are opportunities to join fire forces around the country, people aren't flocking the industry to sell pot, so don't panic.

So, if you think Michigan's "marijuana phase" is going away anytime soon, you might as well get buckled in and roll one because it's going to be a long time before the boom slows down.