Spokane County sees big money spent on pot

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) _ The amount of money spent on legal marijuana sales in Spokane County last year was larger than the retail sales of wine, bread or milk.

That's according to sales numbers from the Washington Liquor and Cannabis Board and a survey of household expenses conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Spokesman-Review reports that Spokane County marijuana retailers reported just over $43 million in sales in 2015. That's an average of $225.64 per household.

By comparison, retail beer sales were $232.70 per Spokane County household last year, according to the Consumer Expenditure Survey administered by the Census Bureau. The average Spokane County household spent $154.85 on wine, $155.37 on milk and $109.71 on bread in 2015.