Can you believe it? We've been here for five years! That's a relative amount of time depending on how you look at it, but given the loyal, tight-knit culture that we are rooted in here in Portland, five years starts to feel like a lot longer, because of the close connections we've established with industry professionals, local businesses, and most importantly, the community of neighbors, friends, customers and visitors that drive the purpose of our project.
But in this quickly evolving cannabis market, and given the unusual circumstances surrounding the time that our store opened, you could look at the opening of Rose Mary Jane as particularly meaningful.
Portland, Maine - 2021
The political climate around 2020/21, as we may remember, was shifting, volatile, and uncertain. We were in the middle of a pandemic, not to mention an opioid crisis that had significantly affected the conversation around drugs and drug policy.
In Maine, voters had approved adult-use cannabis in 2016, but licensed recreational sales did not begin until October of 2020. Given the relatively early beginnings in Maine of legal medical use in 1999, bolstered by a highly developed underground market and close-knit community of consumers, caregivers and experts, breaking into the legal market was an exciting, and somewhat daunting, vision but one that would obviously be realized, one way or the other.
It was another one of those great American “wild west” types of economic movements, lots of opportunity and lots of risk.
The founders of Rose Mary Jane decided to take that risk because they saw an opportunity to participate in the local market with a new type of value, and to be part of a national movement bringing new commercial expertise into the burgeoning legal cannabis industry.
Why Rose Mary Jane existed in the first place?
The founders of Rose Mary Jane were highly tuned in to the nuanced culture of the cannabis market in 2020, and saw ways in which they could participate in an already thriving culture while also adding value from their own vision to the landscape.
Maine's adult-use market was brand new. Dispensaries were highly localized and specialized, and catered very clearly to the needs of their ultra-regional demographics. The founders of Rose Mary Jane understood the loyalty involved in cannabis retail at that time, retailers and producers were very closely connected with patient needs and feedback.
Rose Mary Jane wanted to continue this legacy of a customer-driven, thoughtfully focused retail experience, while at the same time offering something new and expansive, with a broader vision of possibility and options.
First, they wanted to bring in a larger variety of products. Sourcing from new and legacy vendors and expanding our offerings in all categories was a major priority, one that, at the time, led to the shop having one of the largest selections of products in Portland.
Cannabis beverages were just starting to become a trend, and the owners wanted to expand their offerings in that category in particular, in order to reach a demographic that was looking for a more mild and social experience. In addition, gummies, chocolates, and the entire edible market were expanding and becoming more innovative, and the owners took pride in sourcing some of the most progressive and accessible products available.
One of the main ideas implemented in the plan was to be a force in the movement to destigmatize cannabis. There's been a lot of change in the way people perceive cannabis use over time, even just in the last five years. A big part of the mission of Rose Mary Jane was to participate in and drive that change to continue to demystify, legitimize and create trust around cannabis, while creating a space where adults could comfortably explore their own relationship with the plant.
For example, parents' needs were particularly taken into consideration by supplying a variety of noncombustible and discreet formats for adults who were looking for alternatives to traditional flower. Also, creating a space that would feel welcoming and accessible to women, people of color, and the LGBTQ community was a prime concern.
The founders were aware that the politics in and around the cannabis industry had formally, directly and indirectly, adversely targeted and marginalized particular groups of people, and for them, it was most important that the brand was recognized for breaking those barriers down to create a safe space for all individuals to explore their personal relationship with cannabis. Staff was trained on these values from the start, so that they were equipped to address concerns coming from all different types of people from experienced to new, from nervous to adventurous all preferences were to be valued and welcomed at Rose Mary Jane.
Five Years of Maine Cannabis
So what has changed since the inception of this vision? Clearly, the founders of Rose Mary Jane weren't the only folks with creative ideas for how to push the industry forward.
Maine's adult-use cannabis market has grown dramatically since 2021. Annual adult-use retail sales climbed from roughly $82 million in 2021 to more than $246 million in 2025, almost exactly tripling in four years. At the same time, increased supply and competition have driven prices down significantly. The average price per gram of adult-use cannabis fell from $12.75 in 2021 to $6.62 in 2025.
Great for consumers. Not always so great for suppliers.
Let's be real about this. The medical cannabis community didn't totally take well to this change. Maine already had a highly developed, almost cottage-like medical industry when adult-use arrived, and legacy producers and retailers have had to make significant adjustments to absorb the impact of a rapidly expanding recreational market. The competition is now stiff.
And the boom in adult-use cannabis has also started to level out. After years of explosive growth following the market's 2020 launch, adult-use sales increased only slightly between 2024 and 2025, from about $244 million to $246 million. That's a dramatically different market from the one Rose Mary Jane entered five years ago.
The adult-use point-of-sale tax also increased from 10% to 14% in 2026, while the state reduced excise taxes paid by cultivators, including lowering the excise tax on cannabis flower from $335 to $223 per pound. It's an interesting balancing act: consumers are paying more tax at the register while some of the tax burden further up the supply chain has been reduced.
In addition, state regulators have become much more active around product safety as the adult-use market has matured. In September 2024, Maine's Office of Cannabis Policy issued its first health-and-safety recall since the Adult Use Cannabis Program launched in 2020, recalling select flower and pre-rolls after audit testing found yeast and mold above allowable thresholds. More recalls followed. In such a small market, these are high-profile complaints that can have a significant impact on a brand's reputation.
Needless to say, Rose Mary Jane has seen, and weathered, a whole lot of significant changes since we put down roots on St. John Street five years ago. And sitting here in 2026, we can say that the talent of the team, the unwavering vision of the founders, and most importantly, the invaluable connections we have made in the community have been the major keys to our ability to continue to pioneer fantastic experiences in our town.
The People Who Helped Build It
There are certain key communities that have built, developed, and maintained relationships with Rose Mary Jane since and after we opened. There's such a diverse and talented network of experts who have been key players in establishing trust, excitement, and consistency amongst all who visit Rose Mary Jane.
From Paul's Boutique, established by a husband-and-wife team in 2014 and known for their hand-picked genetics, to Squier's Elixirs, pushing the identity of cannabis beverages forward with real ingredients and hash rosin products, to Zero Gravity, whose team brings more than 30 combined years of hands-on experience in cannabis cultivation, extraction, marketing and branding, there are so many more to mention.
But these are more than just brands.
These are cannabis communities that have converged, communicated, sacrificed, extended themselves, listened, mentored, and grown with us as partners to create the unique atmosphere that is now Rose Mary Jane a diverse, warm, welcoming hub of cutting-edge cannabis products, knowledge, expertise and care with the signature, rebellious Maine attitude of: keep it pushing, what's next, and we do this for the love of the plant, not for the clout.
That equals quality, connected experiences for our community, and that's why we're still here.
September 19: Celebrating Five Years Together
Obviously, we're extremely stoked about turning five in Portland.
We're also exhausted, exhilarated, and have no idea what tomorrow will bring.
Seems like the perfect attitude to host a party with, wouldn't you say?
We're going to celebrate all our friends, neighbors and colleagues on September 19–20 with a backyard festival at the shop, showcasing all of our favorite people, for all of our people.
We'll have cannabis vendors and local artisans chilling and sharing their flair. It's a marketplace, it's a brunch spot, it's a mini concert with local talent, and it's all free and open to everyone who wants to meet up, connect, share stories, vibe out, and vision together about all the ways we're going to continue to keep our town free, fruitful, familial, fortunate, and freaking fantastic.
PORTLAND, thanks for these five years. Hold on tight, the next five will create a new legacy. Let's go.