The Marijuana Price Index
Not often does marijuana have a place here at EverydayMoney.ca, but the economic side of the drug seems to continue popping up lately.
Last October, for example, there was a neat story about California’s possible legalization of pot in the state (the proposition was eventually rejected). Who opposed the move? The California Beer & Beverage Distributors, a group that saw legal marijuana as a “threat to sales, as consumers may substitute pot for booze.”
Yet, thanks to a new website that tracks marijuana prices across North America, we have another reason to discuss weed in this space. Introducing: the Marijuana Price Index.
And, you have to hand it to the stoners on this one. PriceOfWeed.com, as the URL goes, is an organized, relevant, user-friendly site that’s keeping tabs on marijuana prices in the U.S. and Canada, one ounce at a time.
Through the site’s user-submission system, potheads can submit the price of the marijuana they’ve just purchased, where they bought it and what quality it is.
So far, PriceOfWeed has about 3,000 submissions after only one week online. According to the site’s blog, they’re hoping to expand pot price tracking to Europe within the next few days.
What can we tell from their data to this point? Well, for one, Canada seems to be the place to go for reasonably-priced marijuana.
Nearly every province/territory across Canada boasts weed prices of less than $300 per ounce; only in Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Newfoundland and Labrador does it cost more, at $300-$400 per ounce.
This is much, much less than what pot costs south of the border, according to the Marijuana Price Index. If you look at the site’s map, pot costs more than $400 per ounce in nearly all the eastern United States – only Michigan, Ohio, Florida and Maine are under that $400 marking in the U.S., east of Colorado.
What to do with this info? That’s up to you. But a good consumer -- no matter what you’re buying, we guess -- is an educated consumer.
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
Posted by: John | Dec 2, 2021 2:26:44 AM
This is an awesome article and I am glad they posted it.
First I KNOW a lost of people are going to say hey marijuana is wrong and you should not do it, well sorry but I can't grow prozac in my yard and I see prescribed medication and alcohol and cigarettes do FAR more damage then weed ever did.
Also you take a bar of 100 drunk people they want to do 2 things they want to get laid and fight (not always but for the most part) and let's not forget about the drinking and driving (again not everyone but for the most part).
Yet you take a room of 100 stoners they want to do 2 things eat and talk (last time for the most part)
NOW for the part about the price index I think this is an amazing site and I will be submitting my own entry very shortly.
So to all you fellow stoners out there smoke one for world peace and to everyone who hates marijuana please understand it is not any mroe evil then alcohol, cigarettes or prescription medication and that abuse comes not from the item but from the person consuming it.
Posted by: Dean | Dec 2, 2021 9:47:45 AM
True that, too bad that in this days economy everything is judged but the all mighty dollar and as far as the billionaire's go they don't want to lose a penny to anyone. leonard Cohen lied when he said Democracy is coming to the USA.
Posted by: jelly | Dec 2, 2021 9:54:28 AM
i believe and want people to see that these prices are just way off the screen---i can get an ounce if i wanted to in brantford ontario or southern ontario for just around $240.00 an ounce---i believe that some are only saying its as HIGH as they state for bragging purposes only---who the hell wud be stupid enough to pay over $240.00 an ounce------duh
Posted by: carl | Dec 2, 2021 10:14:45 AM
Take the pot and legalize it, conrolled by authorities, in speciallized outlets and taxed accordingly. This does a number of things, first, put a lot of foreign trafficers out of work, gives farmers another crop to grow legitimately and tax money in the government's coffers. The nay sayers can go pound sand because if they really thought about ill affects of drugs they would be protesting alcohol to the limit and rightly so.
Posted by: major tom | Dec 2, 2021 11:15:31 AM
it is such a no brainer,legalize and tax it.goverment makes money and saves millions even billions.making the country stonger and saving another. mexico is being torn apart by the ploicy makers of the U.S. legalize pot and save two countries. Y peace
Posted by: Monique | Dec 2, 2021 11:32:13 AM
Its time for Canada to look at the laws in the Netherlands. The amount of money wasted in the court system regarding individuals charged with possession and or growing is embarassing. Educating ourselves with regards to the benefits of legalizing would really be a step forward. The stigma attached to those who smoke and those who have smoked is no longer a concern. With the arrival of 2011 coming you would think that government would realize the time is now. Thank you for the article and I will be keeping track of the costs in and around Canada.
Posted by: Mike Clubine | Dec 2, 2021 1:11:18 PM
Spending tax payers money trying to control pot and prostitution is Stupid and politically motivated. Both activities will always be practiced everywhere in Canada. Imagine how much money we could generate if prostitutes and pot smokers paid taxes like everybody else. For sure we would be one of the richest and most civilized Countries in the World. Lets go people Dummy Up!
Posted by: billy kuksuk | Dec 2, 2021 1:11:51 PM
hi stoner's or wanna be, im from nunavut northern canada and im eskimo everything cost so much up here we pay $50 dam bucks a gram and we only live 200 miles north of churchill manitoba you do the math how much we would pay for 1 lousy ounce, and the grams we by are usely .5 or.6 not even a gram
Posted by: the cat in the hat | Dec 2, 2021 1:38:28 PM
hello this site is awesome i love the stories so far .prices differ all over.to the guy paying 50 beans a gram i feel for ya .
Posted by: Brian | Dec 2, 2021 2:04:08 PM
*Is buying 10 pounds and driving to Nunavut*
Posted by: Guitar Maker | Dec 2, 2021 2:08:08 PM
Marijuana is the best possible habit a person could ever have. The situation people get themselves into is a habit used for personal needs or not? If the situation in any given situation isn't contained as a benefit then there is not benefit and a chain reaction can go both ways. Because marijuana works, it leads to a downward negetive reaction since the upside is the best possible option for anything. If marijuana is used and there is any negetive reaction then it doesn't work and needs to be stopped. The price should be charged to people who use it negetively.
Posted by: UsedtoWuz | Dec 2, 2021 2:49:34 PM
Actually it's been proven for years that marijuana use can lead to dependency and psychosis.
All you addicts try quitting and watch how the withdrawal makes you...those who smoke all the time and then don't have it get really bitchy and agitated easily, and sometimes just lose their temper over the stupidest things. It causes behaviour disorders I promise you.
Why legalize another problem into mainstream society?
Posted by: Brian | Dec 2, 2021 2:58:24 PM
@usedtowuz
Get your facts straight before you spiel on about bullshit, none of those symptoms come from Marijauna withdrawal, the only problem with mainstream society is people like you who would castrate the economical benefits of any given substance without actually first experiencing or studying the affects properly. Just because you have a test group of addicts that have been enrolled into a program you can't say that they're only vice was Marijuana, and that their symptoms are a sole result from the usage of that specific substance. Native Americans since time immemorial have used Marijuana for their peace pipes and for HEALING mental disorders. If the government can recognize the substance as a medium for those with Glaucoma or Cancer than most obvioulsy the benefits have outweighed the associative risks involved with it's usage.
Posted by: BACS | Dec 2, 2021 3:48:09 PM
here we go again..., money-money-money...tax this-tax that... is that really all people now-a-days think of??? how truely sad this world has become.
Posted by: Wintermute | Dec 2, 2021 3:58:06 PM
As long as the spirits, beer and beverage industries and their lobbyists have a say, the legalization of marijuana will be a thorn in their side. It will only become a non-issue once these powerful sectors can utilize the active ingredient in their products at a profitable level will they back down. The other consideration is taxation. It will not be legalized until the local, provincial and federal governments can establish and implement and accurate mechanism to track and tax the product.
I think we have an example with the "green" movement - up to a a decade ago - being green was considered anti-establishment and subversive and only for the "granola eating, vegetarian, tree-huggers". Once the marketing "gurus" figured out that being green would boost product sales did they see the light and it became "vogue".
Go figure.
Posted by: cody | Dec 2, 2021 4:09:53 PM
Yes they should deffinitly legalize marijuana in canada because every one would be able to buy it and smoke it without worry about cops. IF you think about all the big bust that go on around the area that could be money if the governments hands . It is easy to grow and easy to sell in canada . and right now i buy ounces for $150. canada is probley the cheapest place for weed considering in some places there paying over 300 per ounze. Everyone should read this a post a comment and hopefully they will legalize marijuana in canada!
Posted by: marcomac | Dec 2, 2021 4:09:57 PM
What a joke...psychosis?? The only people that are affected that way are already psychotic. I quit all the time and never have a problem except for maybe the first couple of nights trying to get to sleep. The benefit is I usually drop a couple of pounds due to not eating alot of junk food! LEGALIZE IT!!!
Posted by: Tifford | Dec 2, 2021 4:11:27 PM
I am one to agree with legalizing marijuana but I am not a fan of the types of marri there is. I know that chemicals are admitted in the marri of today. I personally meditate with sensimillia, its the natural herb with additives. I believe that if the marri is not natural, then it is a drug due to mans always having to tamper with GODS blessings. We need to find the real value in real herb. Thank you.
Posted by: cody | Dec 2, 2021 4:18:02 PM
They need to legalize MARIJUANA! Everybody smokes it now a days . I would of never thought my parenst did untill i found them smoking a joint ! Weed is only abused when the person thats smoking it wants to abuse it . I know a dealer that was walking down the road the other day and 2 cops pulled him over and said if you dont give me your ounce we will raid your house within the next week. so he had to give away his ounce and the cops went and smoked it ! so weather its legal or not everyone is going to continue to smoke it . It would just be a benifit for them to legalize it and even put taxes on the marijuana . The goverment could make so much money if they would just do it already !
Posted by: JColes | Dec 2, 2021 4:24:24 PM
@usedtoWuz
First of all I would like to state that you are correct in stating that there is a negitive side effect caused by the smoking of Marijuana, but not in the extent that you believe. It has been proven (but also contested) that marijuana smoking will increase your risk of schizoophrenia by 1%, but you must already have a genetic prediposition to it. Any other negative medical conditions or addictions related to the use of marijuana have been for the main part disproven throughout the world, with the exception of both Canada and America where the pharmical companies have a very strong lobby groups.
I am greatly surpised that no one had pointed out the arguement that marijuana causes brain damage, which was shown to not be the case by a man named Xia Zhang when he tested the effects of THC on mice (his tests actually indicate that it goes brain cells). The belief that it causes brain damage was started mainly by the Ragan government when he had Chimp exposed to marijuana smoke, but if one looks at how these tests were performed they would know that it was a very faulty test.
They (the researchers hired by the US government during Ragans reign) had taken chimps and put gas masks on them, and then filled the masks with marijuana smoke for at least 6 minutes at a time. If one looks at any medical journal or handbook and they effects of oxygen deprivation, they will see that at around the three minute mark (half the time the chimps were exposed to) brain damage will set in.
If Canada was to legalize marijuana, within a couple years our country would have a surplus of funds to spend in other areas. If one looks at Canada's war on drugs spending budget they will notice that anywhere between 75 - 80% of it is used on the battle with marijuana, whereas the other 20-25% is spent on all other drugs. The above budget does not include the money used for court or jailing costs, and is only representive of the amount paid to the police departments to investigate and bust grow operations and dealers.
For those whom would be interested in researching the mrijuana debate, I suggest that they watch "The Union: The business of getting high" and then further study some of the things discussed in that documentry. I myself was anti-marijuna until I watched that doc and reseached some of the things mentioned, afterwhich I figured out I was arguing for the wrong side of the debate.