Nearly $35 million in February marijuana sales

Marijuana users spent almost $35 million in February, according to state figures.

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation reported Wednesday that Illinois residents spent more than $25.6 million on recreational marijuana, while out-of-state buyers spent almost $9.2 million during the 29-day period.

The figures do not include marijuana taxes or sales taxes, officials said.

In all, 831,600 items were sold, at an average of almost $42 per item.

In January, the state recorded nearly $40 million in sales and garnered $7.3 million in marijuana taxes and $3.1 million in additional sales taxes. The state expects to generate $28 million alone in new marijuana taxes through the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends in June.

Marijuana is taxed based on its potency, ranging from 10% to 25%. Growers also pay a tax.

Money generated from the new tax will go toward multiple coffers. The state's general fund gets 35%, a community development revitalization program for areas affected by the criminalization of marijuana gets 25%, while 20% goes to substance abuse and mental health programs and 10% goes toward the state's bill backlog. Local government law enforcement agencies receive 8%, and 2% goes to public education and analysis of marijuana legalization.

The state is issuing more store licenses soon.

Many dispensaries with medical marijuana licenses were among the first to offer recreational use. In the suburbs, dispensaries operating in Addison, Mundelein and North Aurora offered recreational sales during the first month. Since then, licenses to a dispensary in Rolling Meadows and a second one in Addison have been issued as well.