Pre-Rolls Are Reshaping Cannabis Retail Nationwide

The U.S. cannabis market is often discussed state by state, with each market carrying its own rules and consumer behavior. But one trend that cut across nearly the entire country in 2025: pre-rolls got bigger everywhere.

Most notably, pre-rolls overtook flower in unit sales for the first time in American history, becoming the top-selling cannabis product on the U.S. market by volume. The category reached nearly $3.6 billion in revenue in 2025, with unit sales climbing to 383.2 million. Market share rose to 15.9%, and pre-rolls gained share in 14 of the 15 tracked markets covered in the 2026 State of the Pre-Roll Market Report by Custom Cones USA.

That makes pre-rolls one of the rare cannabis categories showing both broad national penetration and local market flexibility.

Different States, Same Trend

California remained the nation’s largest pre-roll market by revenue, generating $703.5 million in 2025. But California’s numbers also reveal one of the category’s more interesting realities: a market can be huge without still being the fastest growing. California saw revenue dip 3.3% year-over-year and units sold edge down 0.1%, yet it still held the top spot by sales.

Michigan tells a different story. It ranked second in revenue at $599 million, but led the nation in volume with 133.2 million units sold, more than double California’s total. That is especially striking given California’s much larger population. Michigan’s lower average price point of $4.58 per pre-roll product suggests a value-heavy, high-volume market where affordability helps drive category dominance.

Massachusetts came in third by revenue at $344.9 million, followed closely by New York at $330.6 million and Washington state at $211.3 million. But New York is where the most dramatic story is unfolding. The state posted the fastest growth of any tracked market, with pre-roll revenue up 96% and unit sales up 120.4% year-over-year.

That kind of acceleration suggests New York may still be early in its cannabis growth curve, especially for pre-rolls. It also reflects the format’s appeal in dense, convenience-driven markets where consumers may be especially drawn to ready-to-use products.

New Jersey and Connecticut also showed strong momentum. New Jersey’s pre-roll revenue increased 50.5%, while Connecticut ranked third in unit sales growth. Together with New York, those results point to a rising Mid-Atlantic corridor that could become increasingly important to national cannabis brands.

One of the report’s most important takeaways is that pre-rolls are gaining market share even in states where overall cannabis sales are softening. Washington saw both revenue and units sold decline modestly, and Nevada posted sharper drops, yet pre-roll market share still grew in those markets, indicating the category is gaining relative strength even when total market conditions are less favorable. That is a sign of resilience.

It also helps explain why pre-rolls are becoming such a strategic product for operators. In mature states, they provide a way to keep consumers engaged through new formats and price points, while in newer states, they offer an easy entry product that can scale quickly.

Market share data underscores just how strong the category has become in certain regions. Massachusetts and New York both posted 20.9% pre-roll market share, while Michigan reached 19.4%. These are not fringe numbers. In some of the country’s most important markets, pre-rolls now account for roughly one-fifth of cannabis sales activity by share.

Pre-Rolls Work in Every Market

The state-level data also shows how flexible the format is. Pre-rolls succeed in premium markets like New York, value-heavy markets like Michigan, legacy markets like California and emerging regional clusters like the Northeast. That adaptability is part of what makes the category so powerful.

Different states may have different leaders, too. Jeeter dominates revenue in California and Michigan, Ruby Farms leads New York, Phat Panda tops Washington, and House Brands remain strong in Massachusetts and Colorado. This fragmented leadership shows there is no single formula for success across all geographies, but it also suggests the category offers room for local preferences, regional branding and state-specific strategies.

For investors, retailers and brands, that is important. Pre-rolls are not just one national trend, they are a platform category that can be adapted to very different markets and consumer needs.

Looking ahead, the report projects continued national growth, with total pre-roll sales expected to reach between $3.8 billion and $4 billion in 2026. It specifically points to New York, New Jersey and Connecticut as key expansion regions to watch.

Flower may still hold cultural weight in cannabis, but from a retail perspective, pre-rolls are increasingly becoming the category that best translates across states, demographics and price tiers.

From California’s scale to New York’s momentum, pre-rolls are not just growing, they are reshaping the map of cannabis retail.