Investigations into the state’s marijuana establishments were slightly lower in several categories during the first six month of 2020 compared to the same window last year, and approximately 78% of plants being cultivated in June were in the four counties of Denver, Pueblo, Boulder and El Paso, an increase from 75% last year.

Those were among the findings in the Marijuana Enforcement Division’s mid-year report, which uses the seed-to-sale inventory tracking system to produce data about the state’s cannabis industry. Denver by far continued to have the most activity, being the jurisdiction with more than half of the state’s harvested plants and pounds of usable marijuana.

Of the 80 new business licenses issued since the beginning of 2020, 76% were for recreational stores and cultivation or manufacturing facilities, with the remainder for medical use. That ratio between recreational and medical was generally applicable to sales as well. Combined, the monthly average hovered around 2,700 business licenses statewide, down slightly from last year, when the average floated between 2,900 and 3,000.

Compared to the first six months of 2019, the number of business background investigations decreased by 20%, as did the number of criminal and regulatory investigations. Targeted compliance investigations, however, increased by more than 75%. The Department of Revenue issues summary suspension of licenses to only 21 businesses.