2022 Study: U.S. Cannabis Price & Source Variance
Updated: Mar 24
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An April 2022 research study entitled "Prices and Purchase Sources for Dried Cannabis Flower in the United States, 2019-2020" that was published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research explored the range of various prices and sources of cannabis loose-leaf flower throughout the United States.
The study declared that the price of cannabis "has major implications for public health, public safety, social equity, and government revenues." It stated that its purpose was to examine "prices and sources of purchased dried cannabis flower among consumers facing different state laws in the United States."
The study examined "legal purchasing in states that had legalized recreational cannabis."
The design of this research was that of a "repeat cross-sectional survey" in which data were sourced from the International Cannabis Policy Study conducted in 2019 and 2020.
Participants in this research were all U.S. citizens and were recruited through "online commercial panels," featured ages ranging from 16 to 65, and had purchased loose-leaf cannabis flower at some point during the past year. The study examined "legal purchasing in states that had legalized recreational cannabis."
Results
The study revealed that, based on the data is analyzed, cannabis consumers living in locations "without stores" were found to pay a "higher unit price for dried flower." It found that the majority of survey participants living in areas featuring adult-use retail stores had made their last purchase from one of these legal stores, not the underground.
"The odds of purchasing legally was greater with each additional year after stores opened," reported the study.
Conclusions
The researchers concluded that the price of loose-leaf cannabis flower in the United States is "strongly influenced by its legal status and the presence of stores." It noted that the legal markets that have appeared in the U.S. since legalization in particular states requires "multiple years" to become established enough and great enough in numbers to begin decreasing prices.
"Consumers favor legal cannabis sources, suggesting that more retail stores and delivery services could expand uptake of legal sources in states with recreational cannabis laws."
"The findings demonstrate that consumers use sources that they are legally allowed to access, suggesting an increased number of physical retail stores and online delivery services could expand uptake of legal sources in states with recreational cannabis laws," summarized the scientists.
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