We all know that there’s a pretty hefty difference in pricing on cannabis and cannabis-infused products between recreational and medical grade cannabis. It’s a standard shift. Colorado has it, California has it, and so does Oregon.
Simple economics will tell you that the difference in price is due to supply and demand — among other things like taxation and regulations. However, more people want to purchase recreational cannabis in Washington, which keeps the prices a bit higher than medical-grade cannabis. Here’s what you can expect to pay for flower, concentrates, and edibles medically and recreationally.
Shifting, but not yet the same
The recreational scene has seen a dramatic shift in pricing since 2014. While the price difference between medical and recreational marijuana is still there, it’s become a lot smaller of a gap. Retail stores have slashed prices by half since legalization in 2014 for WA rec weed. There was a huge boom in stores opening, and due to competition, prices have been driven down. Taxation laws have been changed as well, and it affected wholesale prices, which is another factor. Finally, in 2014 Washington was experiencing a majority of sales from Oregonians before Oregon legalized their own recreational program. The price gap is projected to continue to decrease as cultivators and retail stores find a balance between the supply and demand in Washington, since the supply has been outweighing the demand in more recent days.
Then & now
In 2014, you could expect to spend anywhere between 20 and 30 dollars for a gram of pot, while you can expect to pay around $11 on average in 2017. The average price for recreational concentrates in Washington this year is anywhere from $25-$75, and edibles are much the same, depending on what you’re getting. Most edibles fall between $10-$75 for recreational users in Washington.
As for medical grade weed, you’re spending on average between $7-$10 on a gram of weed, which is excellent for people with an MMJ card in Washington. Like I said, it’s just a bit cheaper than recreational weed, but the prices are expected to drop and essentially become one in the same in price. Concentrates in Washington for medical consumers will cost you around $20-$60, or more, depending on the type of concentrate you’re picking up. As for edibles, there are a ton of them and they all vary in quality, dosage, reputation, and price. The lowest I’ve ever seen in a medical store is $8, and the highest I’ve seen has been over $100. On average though, you can expect to spend around $10-$50.
The price gap for mmj license holders in Washington vs the prices of rec weed for adults 21 and over is coming to a close, but for now, the gap is something to take note of. There is typically a small percentage you’ll pay extra for recreational weed, but that’s okay. If you give it a few more months, the prices will just about equal out, similar to the pot market here in Colorado. As the industry finds balance between supply and demand, the prices will continue to drop.
