Why is medical marijuana so expensive?

[Lazyman]

I've grown pot for almost 30 years and I know what it costs to grow a pound of bud....

Here is exactly what it costs me.... Per 60 day flowering....

Nutes and mollassis- 30 dollars a grow

Power- 30 bucks per month per 600 watt light- 120 dollars per 2 months- 12 on, 12 off

Monthly upgrades? 6,000 a year? Whatever...

Clones- Free. 20 dollars a month to care for mothers....

Time- maybe an average of a half hour a day on a 2 pound grow.

With a pair of 600's and a 6 by 6 foot room I get a little over 2 pounds of of dry bud off 12plants. At the very most, I incur about two hundred dollars in expenses and use about 24 hrs of my own time. One hundred dollars, set aside per grow, easily covers new lights/bulbs/.....


That adds up to 125 dollars per pound. I don't count the labor because the 1/2 per day is one of my most enjoyable times of the day.....

There's quite a difference between 250 per grow for me and 4800 for you....

Well our gardens are different scales, but 6K a year is easy on repairs/upgrades, as every year I have to:

Replace 8 1KW bulbs twice ($1900)
Replace 1 window AC a year (they just burn up) ($500)
A couple water pumps ($100)
1-2 new CAN150s ($200 each)
etc etc

 

[JJScorpio]

Well our gardens are different scales, but 6K a year is easy on repairs/upgrades, as every year I have to:

Replace 8 1KW bulbs twice ($1900)
Replace 1 window AC a year (they just burn up) ($500)
A couple water pumps ($100)
1-2 new CAN150s ($200 each)
etc etc

You might better do a little reading here if you're getting 2 pounds with 8,000 watts.... With those lights you should be getting 12 to 15 pounds. Anyway you want to cut it, it's still going to run a buck and a half a pound at the most. Been there, done that.

 

[nephilthim]

i got a qp of s.d.o.g. that was very gd for 1050=262.50 per ounce from a gd delivery svc.i also have a fav collective in the valley that I really like it's just a pain to drive there,but i have traded seed back and forth offered clones really a great
collective that is compassionate as well as principaled and loving.there are people out there but you have to find a source or someone who has a source. if that involves driving,figure 500 a lb as a general incentive on top of the principle.also with indoor its a finite supply with lots of demand so there
is a natural disincentive when people know they can make more 4000 a lb or more to lower their prices on volume purchases.whereas with outdoor the price is partially determined by quanity purchased.
with this is in mind most people know that with more $ to buy on a drive economies of scale are achieved by being able to buy more at hopefully a lesser price by having more $ that said I really dont want to disseminate
the compassion/lack of compassion aspect except two words: caveat emptor.
so keeping to economics the sword cuts both ways to people that grow and are/were accustomed to getting 4-5 a lb.to that end a clinic that lowballs my product isn't going to earn my respect or first patronage.hence
to that end a clinic like c.r.c. can pay 5000 a lb or more*for "rock star"quality.
and their membership is closed so apparently they are making a lot of people happy with 65 dollar 1/8*in the same token the 50 cap clubs are substantially lower quality and reflect their pricing.currently I feel there is a drought of good smoke at good prices unless you know someone where I live,and the market reflects that in demand.which is always an insatiable beast which is why mj and it's quality is always determinate on its pricing to the degree in which .
1.you grow it (good)
2.you know someone who grows it (o.k.)
3.you know someone who knows someone that grows it (hmm)
all of which you either are buying it (o.k.)!or someone giving you marijuana(the penultimate a true friend)!or last but definitely least your are not in my back yard stealing it(pee stain I catch u and urine trouble)!

 

[LiLWaynE]

JJ, i think the biggest cost associated with growing would be LABOR, as it is the biggest cost in any "business"....

TIME=MONEY...

I know for the business I run I demand 90/hr labor rate.... (my time is precious, according to ME)

now If anyone applied those hourly rates to the time spent on growing then it is easily justified...


...and we all know, time = money...

i'd bet you'd spend a billion bucks to go back in time wouldn't ya?

 

[Col.Dijon]

I know a couple that does, both patients, they smoke a QP a month between them. Oooof that's a lot!

I was just thinking about the economics of it though, some random figures for expense, at least in my setup:

Monthly nutes: $400
Monthly upgrades/repairs/maintenance parts (averaged over the year) $500/mo
Power: $400 a month (this would be 4X higher without CARE program)
Clones $1000 (200 clones every 2 months)
My time (30 hrs week, say at $20/hr) $2400 a month

Multiply all of these numbers times about 2.25 for an entire run, and I get $10575 in expenses, roughly per crop. Well hell, my last crop sucked ass, 2.5 pounds, so I lost money on the last one. I know the garden can do better, but economies of scale get tricky with sooo many variables!

Astronomical!!

I wouldn't pay you 20 bux an hr to get less than a half pound per 1K either! lol

 

[REZDOG]

The answer is: It's people exploiting the weaknesses of others.
It's the same reason that pot faces such opposition where it becomes "medically" legal,like Cali. Cali's a joke,"medically",for pot. Anybody can get a pot card,and anybody and everybody does. Great for potheads,bad for "legitimacy",at least initially. It devalued the whole shebang in Cali. Same everywhere,sooner or later. And if it's legal to sell it,but not produce it,then it leaves the production to "criminal elements" (assholes). And that's simply,what happens. Everywhere.

 

[Hash Zeppelin]

Why is medical marijuana so expensive?
It is against federal law man. It is risky to produce and move, even though it is harmless. so it is some thing that good people will turn to to make some under the table money when times are hard.

 

[Lazyman]

You might better do a little reading here if you're getting 2 pounds with 8,000 watts.... With those lights you should be getting 12 to 15 pounds. Anyway you want to cut it, it's still going to run a buck and a half a pound at the most. Been there, done that.

I know I know, it was a dial-in run, new from top to bottom. It was also my first SOG and first coco and I didn't have anywhere near enough plants to fill the trays, but yeah I agree with your estimate. Current run will probably be 8-10, next will hopefully be back where it should be.

Oh, and coco chips are too coarse for new clones, they take forever to root! No mas, ever again.

 

[Lazyman]

Astronomical!!

I wouldn't pay you 20 bux an hr to get less than a half pound per 1K either! lol

HAHAHA TROOF! I'd have fired my ass, but I'm really stubborn and I just had to give me another chance.

 

[Blue Dot]

JJ, i think the biggest cost associated with growing would be LABOR, as it is the biggest cost in any "business"....

JJ asked why Medical MJ was so expensive, not street MJ.

Medical MJ producers bound by sb420 can only be reimbursed for "out of pocket" expenses.

Labor is not an "out of pocket" expense even though some think it should be.

Out-of-pocket expenses are direct outlays of cash which may or may not be later reimbursed.

In operating a vehicle, gasoline, parking fees and tolls are considered out-of-pocket expenses for the trip. Insurance, oil changes, and interest are not, because the outlay of cash covers expenses accrued over a longer period of time.

The services rendered and other in-kind expenses are not considered out-of-pocket expenses, nor are depreciation of capital goods or depletion.

 

[mrdizzle]

always someone complaining about something

 

[HortProOrganics]

greed.

and the black hole that plagues our political system.

 

[johnnyla]

JJ asked why Medical MJ was so expensive, not street MJ.

Medical MJ producers bound by sb420 can only be reimbursed for "out of pocket" expenses.

Labor is not an "out of pocket" expense even though some think it should be.

no but Labor does mean "reasonable compensation incurred for services" .


"(c) A primary caregiver who receives compensation for actual expenses, reasonable compensation incurred for services provided to an eligible qualified patient or person with an identification card to enable that person to use marijuana under this article, or for payment for out-of-pocket expenses incurred in providing those services, or both, shall not, on the sole basis of that fact, be subject to prosecution or punishment under Section 11359 or 11360."

 

[Blue Dot]

no but Labor does mean "reasonable compensation incurred for services" .


"(c) A primary caregiver who receives compensation for actual expenses, reasonable compensation incurred for services provided to an eligible qualified patient or person with an identification card to enable that person to use marijuana under this article, or for payment for out-of-pocket expenses incurred in providing those services, or both, shall not, on the sole basis of that fact, be subject to prosecution or punishment under Section 11359 or 11360."

But that's just for primary caregivers and transactions between them and their patients.

It's already been ruled in Peron that a dispensary cannot be considered a primary caregiver so it stands to reason a "vendor" would not be considered a primary caregiver if the case were to go to court (maybe it has IDK) and JJ was really just asking about MMJ prices in clubs and not transactions between primary caregivers and their patietns.

 

[johnnyla]

But that's just for primary caregivers and transactions between them and their patients.

It's already been ruled in Peron that a dispensary cannot be considered a primary caregiver so it stands to reason a "vendor" would not be considered a primary caregiver if the case were to go to court (maybe it has IDK) and JJ was really just asking about MMJ prices in clubs and not transactions between primary caregivers and their patietns.

right that's why there is the provision for collective organization amongst fellow patients aka dispensing collective and they can charge for labor as can the growers.

 

[Blue Dot]

right that's why there is the provision for collective organization amongst fellow patients aka dispensing collective and they can charge for labor as can the growers.

But if a "dispensing collective" is really just a collection of patients then no one is considered the caregiver and unfortunately the law states that only a primary caregiver is entilted to 'reasonable compensation".

But that's also the issue JJ I think was really trying to bring up is, are collectives/dispensaries/dispensing collectives/etc. ad nausum/IOW whatever the flavor of the week is you want to call them, really recouping just "reasonable" compensation or are they really recouping way more then would be considered reasonable.

 

[MedResearcher]

Chew on this a bit....


1995, before 215 was passed. I could get eighths on the street in Cali between 50 to 60 bucks. I could also get a gallon of gas for around 1 dollar.


2009, Eighths are still pretty much selling for 50 to 60 bucks...... the same gallon of gas is 3 to 4 dollars.


So if we base inflation on the price of gasoline, over the last 14 years weed has become 300-400% cheaper.

Not just gasoline either, everything has inflated. Milk, potatoes, fruit, etc... etc...


People should be glad its not 150-200 an eighth.


As far as the production per pound.... that will vary extremely based on many variables. Just because one person can produce at 150 a pound doesn't mean everyone can.


I don't think any amount of Internet complaining will ever change the laws of supply and demand within a capitalist society, but you guys are definitely giving it a try.

Mr^^

 

[Blue Dot]

So if we base inflation on the price of gasoline, over the last 14 years weed has become 300-400% cheaper.

Not just gasoline either, everything has inflated. Milk, potatoes, fruit, etc... etc...

Why would you ever base inflation rates on current gasoline prices when we are currently at WAR for oil?

And no, potatoes have not gone up 300-400% since 1995.

 

[darookie2000]

Well ive heard stories of patients giving $100 donations for Ounces,

technically it is a Donation, and some clubs will give you awesome prices if you haggle enough.

Let's not kid ourselves, donation is a thinly veiled way to avoid laws prohibiting sale. Donations are usually voluntary. This is money in exchange for a product, also known as a sale. Would they give the product if people didn't "donate?"

 

[Vespatian]

30 years ago Mendo outdoor was going for $4,500/lb, and that was the 100lb discount price.