AKIPRESS.COM - Colorado made $2 million in marijuana taxes in January 2014, Miami Herald reported today referring to the world's first accounting of the 59 marijuana businesses.

Colorado legalized marijuana in 2012, but its commercial sale didn't begin until January. Washington state sales begin in coming months.

The marijuana taxes come from 12.9% sales taxes and 15% excise taxes. Including licensing fees and taxes from Colorado's pre-existing medical marijuana industry, the state collected about $3.5 million from the marijuana industry in January.

Colorado tax officials say the January marijuana reports were in line with expectations, though they repeatedly said before the figures were reported that they couldn't guess what tax receipts would be.

Other countries also are watching Colorado, which has the world's first fully regulated recreational marijuana market. The Netherlands has legal sales of marijuana but does not allow growing or distribution. Uruguay's marijuana program is still under development.

Colorado has about 160 state-licensed recreational marijuana stores, though local licensing kept some from opening in January.