The entire beer industry is not $35 billion dollars in the US.
Cigarette sales in the US are about $80 billion.
I find it difficult to believe that with the amount of legal confusion, limited distribution or product (Compared to the previous categories.) and no doubt a number of issues that will exist where illegal pot is competing with legal pot that you will see a $35-100 billion market inside of 8 years.
Why?
The current TOTAL estimated market for legal and illegal pot in the US is only $46 billion. (This from INC magazine.)
So unless there’s a good chance that not only will there twice as many people willing to buy legal pot as are buying illegal pot and are willing to pay a premium on existing market rates..... there will be no $100 billion marketplace for pot in 8 years.
Just for Colorado:
Colorado has gained a half a billion in taxes in 3 & a half years.
Tax collections for pot exceed tax collection for alcohol starting in 2015.
It went over 1.3 billion in sales for 2016 alone for legal (rec and medical) pot sales
They are currently averaging 100 million a month in sales for 2017.
Not bad for a state with a population of about 5.5 million
The other states are looking at this tax revenue. I can't imagine the amount of sales if they all jump on this bandwagon The only hitch is, it's still illegal at the Fed level. If the Feds see the states collecting all these taxes, don't be surprised to see the Feds try and get a piece of this action also,