States rake in billions from taxes on weed sales. Here's where the money goes

An employee pours marijuana flowers onto a try at a Mango Cannabis medical marijuana dispensary, on March 6, 2023, in Oklahoma City. Oklahoma voters on Tuesday rejected a measure to legalize recreational marijuana. (Sue Ogrocki/AP)

Oklahoma voters on Tuesday resoundingly rejected legalizing recreational marijuana, deciding not to join 21 other states and the District of Columbia. Approving the ballot measure would have raised tens of millions of dollars in new annual tax revenue for the state.

In a special election, voters turned down State Question 820 by more than 20 percentage points. Had it passed, the measure would have brought the state new money from a 15% excise tax on top of its existing 4.5% sales tax for cannabis sales.