What’s Up With These Really Cheap Ounces of Weed?!

 

Heard you were looking for some cheap weed. Well you’re in luck, here’s a link to $120 ounces.

As a curious, chronic smoker, I couldn’t help but wonder which country had higher prices for legal weed – the US or Canada? I found that the price of an eighth of marijuana in the United States and Canada has been compared by Wikileaf across multiple dispensaries. The analysis shows that the average price for an eighth of marijuana in the US is $40.0, while in Canada it’s $27.9, which is a notable 30% cheaper. The reason for this significant price difference could be attributed to the longer history of legalization in Canada. Nice.

With more time to establish a legal market for marijuana, there is a larger supply of industrial  growers and sellers in Canada, leading to lower prices for consumers. Additionally, Canada’s legal cannabis industry is more developed, with publicly traded companies on the stock market, while US cannabis companies face restrictions, such as the inability to have bank accounts. As Canada moves closer to nationwide legalization this year, the supply of marijuana continues to grow, suggesting that prices may remain favourable for consumers.

Comparing prices of marijuana in Canada and the United States shows that purchasing in Canada is significantly cheaper at every quantity. However, the larger the quantity of marijuana purchased, the smaller the price discount is in Canada. This is because in the United States, a larger bulk discount is given on weed purchases.

Let’s clarify a, “More established market.” If you look at states like Oregon where competition among growers is fierce, prices are often half of what they are in California. The real difference there is regulation. With California regulating the living hell out of any cannabis company in its borders and Oregon giving out licenses freely and letting the market decide who wins, you see a massive difference in competition.

It’s not just weed. Look at this deal on an ounce of hashish!

If you look at it city by city, clearly cost of living also played a vital role in determining the final price. San Francisco, a city known for its high cost of living, also has a very high price for bud. In fact, an eighth of an ounce of gas in San Francisco is 12% more expensive than in Seattle and 20% more expensive than in Los Angeles. It’s no surprise that San Francisco wins many “most expensive awards” for various things, including toast, real estate, and coffee.

When comparing prices between the United States and Canada, it’s clear that Canadian cities like Toronto and Vancouver offer a substantial discount. For someone from San Francisco visiting Vancouver, they can purchase weed at a 39% discount compared to buying it at home. Overall, it appears that marijuana is about 30% cheaper in Canada than in the United States, and this price difference has remained consistent throughout the year and across all purchase sizes. OR, you could look at it as, you can afford to enjoy 30% more weed as a Canadian! Rad.

Another aspect that might play a small role is that our neighbours to the South are rather rebellious when it comes to purchasing weed legally even when it’s available. Some folks still choose the plug over the dispensary. It’s been well documented that the state of California struggles to beat the black market.

Here’s an article in Politico.

One might assume that many Americans are getting their weed directly from the source and skipping the taxes and price hikes. However, it’s widely recognized that there is a high demand for marijuana in Canada, so the price discount in comparison to the United States cannot be attributed to low demand. The reason for cheaper marijuana prices in Canada is due to the country’s lengthy history of having a legal supply of weed.

As with most commodities, the law of supply and demand applies to marijuana. When the supply of weed is abundant, prices tend to decrease. This is why Canada’s well-established legal market, with a large number of growers and sellers, has led to lower prices for consumers.

At the end of the day, who cares! Enjoy the cheap weed! You’ve got a bevy of options here at POTSMART to grab zips of green for your daily routine. Check out all our preferred MOM’s and have fun shopping for pre-ground, pre-rolls, bulk bud, old-school hash and of course dabs. There’s no reason not to up your stash.

 

By Richard “Dick” Weed, Ganja Guru and Guest Contributor for Potsmart