While California still leads the country in cannabis pre-roll revenue, across New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut, the category is growing faster than in any established cannabis markets.

All three posted substantial year-over-year gains in 2025, and New Jersey shows how quickly consumer buying habits can change when prices fall, access improves, and product selection expands.

New Jersey’s Pre-Roll Market Gaining Speed

New Jersey generated $171.2 million in pre-roll sales in 2025, up from $119.3 million the year prior, and unit sales rose even faster, climbing from around 5.6 million products to 9.6 million, a gain of nearly 80%.

That gap between revenue and unit growth indicates consumers are buying far more pre-rolls, but at lower average prices. The average pre-roll product in New Jersey fell from $13.31 to $11.40, making the category more accessible while helping pre-roll market share rise from 11% to 14.7% of total cannabis sales.

Pre-rolls are moving beyond being the occasional add-on option and becoming a regular part of a consumer’s retail basket.

The product mix is also worth watching.

Hybrid pre-rolls remained the state’s leading segment in 2025, unlike New York where infused products drive more category sales. Still, infused pre-rolls are gaining ground in New Jersey, suggesting brands may benefit from adding higher-potency, premium experiences without abandoning the classic products consumers are flocking to.

Consumption lounges, which are scheduled to open in the Garden State this year, could add another layer of demand. Pre-rolls are compact, pre-packaged, and ready to use, making them a natural fit for social consumption spaces. And as lounges become a larger part of the state’s cannabis landscape, producers may find that pre-rolls are among the easiest formats to translate to those environments, increasing sales of the products even more.

A Look at New York’s Growing Market

New York remains the largest pre-roll opportunity in the region. In 2025, pre-roll revenue increased 96% while unit sales jumped 120%, the strongest growth among the state markets tracked by cannabis analytics firm Headset.

Consumers purchased 16.2 million pre-roll products, generating more than $335 million in sales, accounting for around 20% of the state’s cannabis market, up 18.7% YoY.

New York had the highest average pre-roll price among tracked markets at $20.47 per product, but even at that above-average price point, consumers continued buying at a rapidly increasing rate.

The state’s adult-use industry is still developing, with new retailers, cultivators, and brands entering the market regularly. As supply improves and competition increases, prices should become more consumer-friendly, which could bring another strong wave of growth, especially if shoppers begin treating pre-rolls as an everyday purchase rather than a premium, convenient option.

Connecticut Adds to the Region’s Momentum

Although Connecticut is smaller than its neighboring markets, its pre-roll sector is moving in a similar direction. The Constitution State generated $41.3 million from 2.2 million pre-roll units in 2025, with unit sales climbing 41.4% and pre-roll market share rising from 12.6% to 14.2%.

Prices also declined, falling from an average of $14.64 to $13.18.

Like New Jersey, hybrid products remained the dominant segment, but infused pre-rolls showed the strongest momentum as revenue more than doubled, increasing from about $5.4 million to $11.1 million.

Connecticut’s numbers may be modest compared with New York and New Jersey, but the trends of lower prices and more product variety are bringing more consumers into the category.

A Regional Market Brands Cannot Ignore

The Tri-State region now contains three of the fastest-growing pre-roll markets in the country. New York and New Jersey ranked first and second in both revenue and unit growth, while Connecticut ranked third in unit growth.

For brands, the opportunity is significant, but so is the competition.

As retail shelves become more crowded, strong branding, consistent quality and unique product differentiation will matter more and more.

New Jersey may be the most balanced opportunity of the three markets in the region. It already has meaningful sales volume, prices are moving in the right direction, consumer adoption is accelerating and consumption lounges will create a new channel for ready-to-use products.

When it comes to pre-roll category momentum, the Northeast is becoming harder to overlook, and New Jersey is right in the middle of it.