How $1 billion in pot taxes get spent in Washington Money from legal cannabis sales amounts to about 2% of the state operating budget By Melissa Santos, Crosscut Share: A poster for Main Street Marijuana is seen here on the dispensaryis wall in Vancouver on Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 4, 2020. (Nathan Howard/The Columbian) This year marks a milestone for the state’s legal pot industry. For the first time since voters approved recreational pot use nine years ago, the state of Washington is expected to collect more than $1 billion in marijuana sales taxes and fees over the course of its next two-year budget cycle.