$8 Million & Growing: Colorado Medical-Marijuana Business License Fees

Medical Marijuana is proving to be
a legitimate cash cow for the state
of Colorado.

Colorado has collected more than $8 million dollars in fees from medical-marijuana businesses this year. That's up from $7.3 million on Aug. 1, when the state reported having recieved a total of 2,071 license applications from folks hoping to grow, manufacture and sell pot under Colorado's new regulations for the industry.

But what's really notable is how the amount garnered from medical-marijuana businesses has surpassed the amount of revenue the state has brought in from license and permit fees for other types of more established industries, often by vast margins.

Here's how the revenue numbers compare so far for the 2010-11 fiscal year (which ends next July 1), according to data compiled by the state comptroller:

MEDICAL MARIJUANA LICENSE: $8,079,750

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES LICENSE: $1,284,718

DIVISION OF REAL ESTATE LICENSE: $2,042,419

RADIOLOGICAL LICENSE: $769,069

DEALER (GAMING) LICENSE: $921,309

BARBERS & COSMETOLOGISTS: $297,508

CHIROPRACTIC LICENSE: $74,293

DIV OF WILDLIFE USE PERMITS: $10,970

DIVISION OF INSURANCE LICENSES: $1,547,351

HEALTH LICENSES: $879,197.84

CHILD CARE LICENSES: $275,310.00