The Impact Of Inflation On Cannabis Sales

What You Can Do About Rising Costs

Inflation affects every industry, including cannabis. However, the impact on the weed industry has surprisingly been mixed in nature because the market is significantly different compared to other consumer-driven industries.

For example, the prices of weed have seen a big drop over the past few years, even when we were right smack in the middle of a high inflation period. To drive home a point, from January 2021 to April 2022, wholesale prices of weed flower saw a 46% reduction, while extraction-grade cannabis buds dropped by 55%.  Meanwhile, Oregon and Michigan’s cannabis markets saw a drop in prices due to a glut in supply, as well as increased competition among dispensaries.

However, things are looking a bit more glum lately: according to a recent poll, 2 out of 3 cannabis consumers said they now spend less cash on cannabis due to inflation. The poll, which was exclusively shared with Marijuana Moment, was conducted by NuggMD, a marijuana telehealth platform. It involved interviews with 518 cannabis consumers, which took place from February 27 to March 2.

They asked cannabis consumers about their recent spending habits when it came to cannabis, and some 66% of them admitted to putting less cash out now due to higher costs. There was also 34% of consumers who said that despite inflation, they have made no changes to their spending on marijuana. When it comes to the decrease in spending, it isn’t clear if it’s because of the higher prices, or if it’s because of the state of the economy, or a mix of both factors.

“Our poll establishes that inflation is hitting the cannabis consumers hard, which should come as no surprise,” explains Andrew Graham, NuggMD’s head of communications. “Recent polling from Pew shows the share of US adults who have concerns about healthcare affordability has increased by 10 percentage points compared to last year. And, last June, medical inflation began growing faster than overall inflation for the first time since 2021,” he said.

It’s easy to point to rising cannabis costs as a major factor that makes it more difficult for consumers to access essential goods, such as medical marijuana. To add salt to injury, cannabis is still a Schedule 1 substance at the federal level, which means that it can’t be included in insurance coverage. Patients have to pay with their own cash, adding to a seemingly never-ending growth of medical bills.

“Across the board, rising costs are clearly making it harder for Americans to access the health and wellness care they need,” Graham said.

He suggests that IRS Code 280E should be ended by Congress, which will mean that cannabis businesses must pay up to 80% tax rate. “If lawmakers continue to punt on 280E, then the policy fix could involve shifting the cost burden away from the consumer by mandating insurance policies cover cannabis used to treat qualifying conditions under state-legal programs, adds Graham. The tax savings could then be funneled towards building new dispensaries in areas that lack access, which can also reduce costs associated with travel. Other significant benefits include better wages for dispensary staff, and profits can be reinvested into research and development.

What Medical Marijuana Patients Can Do

While it might feel like there’s no other choice but to tighten one’s belt, it’s possible to get creative with your cannabis supply and stretch your budget, despite the rising prices these days. Here are some things that cannabis consumers an medical marijuana patients can do:

1. Buy in bulk: Purchasing cannabis flower in bulk is one of the most efficient ways to reduce the cost per gram. Licensed dispensaries offer great deals and discounts for buying in bulk, which can help stretch your cash.

2. Buy smaller, budget brands: If you consume other types of cannabis products such as vapes, edibles, oils, and drinks, opt for brands that are less expensive. As long as you are buying from a licensed dispensary, you can have peace of mind that you’re buying quality products that don’t compromise quality.

3. Experiment with methods that offer bang-for-buck when it comes to your hit: Some cannabis consumption techniques are more cost-effective compared to smoking. If you’re only used to smoking weed, periods of high inflation are a good time to experiment with methods that are novel for you. For example, edible cannabis products can last up to 4 to 8 hours long, while microdosing enables you to experience the therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids more frequently but in much smaller doses.

4. Learn how to grow your own weed: If you’re able, live in a state that allows home cultivation, and have the budget as well as space, growing your own weed is a fantastic way to become self-sufficient. Despite the initial expenses related to setup costs, home growers can save as much as 75% on flower costs in the long run.

5. Keep an eye out for the potency ratio: When shopping at a dispensary, look for products that offer great value when it comes to potency per dollar.

Employing these strategies can help cannabis consumers and patients alike save some money when prices are skyrocketing.

Conclusion

Despite the rising prices and economic challenges of the current times, we can look towards the silver linings – opportunities that exist in the current cannabis landscape. It’s now easier than ever for consumers to find quality products that don’t have to cost an arm an a leg, while big companies are well-positioned to grow their market share. We can also hope that federal rescheduling is in our near future, and hope that the POTUS may have a change of heart somewhere along the way.

IS CANNABIS INFLATION PROOF, READ ON…

IS THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY INFLATION PROOF? READ THIS!

Wake up frenz…you’re in a War Right Now!

Let me be crystal clear about something – the War on Drugs isn’t some relic from the Nixon era that ended when Colorado and Washington first legalized weed. It’s happening right now, as you’re reading this. And if you think I’m being paranoid, stick with me for a minute.

I’ve been documenting the signs of escalation in this war for years, but today I want to address the elephant in the room: this has never been a “War on Drugs.” Drugs don’t get arrested. Drugs don’t lose their jobs. Drugs don’t get their kids taken away. Drugs don’t have their assets seized or their voting rights stripped.

This has always been a war on people – specifically, on YOU.

Despite cannabis enjoying unprecedented public support (70% of Americans favor legalization), the battlefield has simply shifted. The opponents haven’t surrendered; they’ve just changed tactics. As Paul Armentano brilliantly outlines in his recent MarijuanaMoment.net op-ed, cannabis consumers are being targeted by both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, just in different ways.

In this article, we’ll dissect Armentano’s observations about how politicians from both sides of the aisle are undermining legalization efforts – from Republicans outright nullifying voter initiatives to Democrats taxing legal markets into oblivion. More importantly, we’ll explore how we, as cannabis consumers, can start rattling the cages that keep our bodies classified as government property rather than our own sovereign domains.

Time to wake up, frenz. You’re still on the battlefield whether you realize it or not.

Paul Armentano’s recent op-ed for Marijuana Moment reads like a battle report from the frontlines. As NORML’s Deputy Director, he’s been watching the war unfold from a privileged vantage point, and what he sees should alarm every cannabis consumer in America.

On the Republican side, we’re witnessing something particularly insidious – the outright nullification of democracy itself. In South Dakota, GOP lawmakers nearly repealed a voter-approved medical cannabis law by a single vote. Nebraska’s Republican attorney general is urging lawmakers to simply ignore election results. In Ohio, Senate Republicans are gutting the voter-approved legalization by limiting home growing, imposing arbitrary THC caps, and – most disturbing – creating new crimes for adults who share cannabis.

But Democrats aren’t exactly riding to our rescue. As Armentano points out, in blue states like New Jersey, Maryland, and California, Democratic governors are treating cannabis consumers as walking ATMs. Governor Murphy wants to quintuple cannabis taxes in New Jersey. Maryland is looking to double the special sales tax on marijuana purchases. These aren’t just annoyances – they’re calculated moves that push consumers back to the illicit market, undoing the very benefits legalization was supposed to create.

This patchwork approach to legalization has created what amounts to feudal kingdoms where local rulers can target cannabis users however they please. The hodgepodge of conflicting state, county, and municipal laws turns normal people into criminals simply by crossing invisible boundaries. In Texas, the attorney general is actively suing cities that have decriminalized possession, forcing local governments to disregard voter initiatives out of fear of litigation.

Let’s be absolutely clear: until cannabis is completely removed from the Controlled Substances Act, we will remain at the mercy of lawmakers and the special interests that fund their campaigns. The pharmaceutical lobby, prison industry, and alcohol/tobacco interests all have a stake in keeping cannabis users criminalized or overtaxed. These industries pour millions into campaign coffers, and politicians respond accordingly.

While we don’t yet know how the Trump administration might approach cannabis if returned to power, his rhetoric about drug cartels and terrorists raises serious concerns. History has taught us that governments love nothing more than a good massacre or crisis to justify draconian new laws. The escalation of militarized anti-cartel operations in Mexico could easily become the pretext for a renewed crackdown on cannabis domestically.

Remember how quickly civil liberties evaporated after 9/11? How the Patriot Act was rammed through while the rubble was still smoking? I fear we’re one border incident away from politicians using cartel violence as justification to roll back the fragile progress we’ve made.

Armentano’s warning couldn’t be clearer: “Now is not the time to become complacent, nor is it a time to presume that marijuana will somehow legalize itself.” The war continues, the battle lines have shifted, and cannabis consumers remain squarely in the crosshairs – whether they’re being shot at by Republicans with repeal efforts or by Democrats with taxation schemes.

Those of us who came of age during the heightened drug war hysteria of the 90s and early 2000s have a certain skill set today’s younger cannabis users might lack. We remember walking around with eye drops in our pockets, perfecting the art of the towel-under-the-door, and speaking in elaborate coded language over landlines we assumed were tapped. Paranoia wasn’t just a side effect – it was a survival mechanism.

Back then, smoking a joint carried a tangible subversive thrill. It wasn’t just about getting high; it was an act of rebellion against a system we knew was lying to us. There was something almost romantic about it – echoes of the 60s counterculture filtered through hip-hop, Cypress Hill albums, and Kevin Smith movies. Being a stoner meant belonging to a secret society with its own language, rituals, and heroes.

But here’s the hard truth many of us forgot along the way: until your rights are constitutionally enshrined, they can be taken from you just as arbitrarily as they were granted. The progress we’ve celebrated – medical programs, recreational markets, decriminalization – exists at the pleasure of politicians who see us either as moral degenerates or walking tax revenue.

The Controlled Substances Act isn’t just bad policy; it’s fundamentally a pharma-sponsored slaver’s contract. That sounds hyperbolic until you examine the 13th Amendment’s insidious loophole: slavery was abolished “except as punishment for a crime.” By criminalizing what you put in your own body, the state created a legal framework to quite literally own you – to seize your property, your liberty, your vote, and your labor.

When Democrats impose crippling tax burdens on legal cannabis, they aren’t just being greedy – they’re sabotaging the entire experiment. These taxes push consumers back to the illicit market, creating the very problems prohibitionists then point to as evidence that “legalization doesn’t work.” It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy, a rigged game where the house always wins.

The bitter reality? We’ve never experienced true legalization in our lifetimes. What we have is a tenuous, compromised version that leaves millions still vulnerable to life-altering criminal penalties while allowing politicians to boast about their progressive credentials.

This isn’t your parents’ drug war anymore – it’s evolved, adapted, and in some ways become more insidious precisely because it masquerades as progress while maintaining the fundamental power dynamic: the state still claims ownership over your consciousness.

Earlier generations of cannabis activists passed the torch to us. They fought the brutal front lines – facing decades in prison, having their children taken away, being denied housing and employment. We owe it to them, and to future generations, to finish what they started.

Don’t be lulled into complacency by dispensaries with clever branding and budtenders with tattoos. Don’t mistake the ability to buy government-approved cannabis products for actual freedom. And don’t expect politicians from either party to respect your autonomy unless you make it politically painful not to.

The war continues. The question is: will you be a casualty, a conscientious objector, or a freedom fighter?

Your body. Your mind. Your choice. But only if you’re willing to demand it.

WHO IS BLOCKING LEGALIZATION, READ ON…

IS THE RED WALL OF REPUBLICANS BLOCKING LEGALIZATION OR NO?