Pot report points to weed worries
Too many shops a concern
Too many pot shops clustered together could lead to more adults being drawn to weed, a new cannabis commission review warns.
The pot panel’s “Baseline review and assessment” cites a study that showed an increase in pot use among adults who lived “within 18 miles of a store and frequent use” increasing among those “within 0.8 miles of a store.”
The report goes on to add that “careful monitoring of the impacts of cannabis retail store density remains critical.”
The review also says heavy pot users are willing to pay more for legal weed, but a hike in prices could push them back to the black market.
“Heavy cannabis users report greater sensitivity to price,” according to a “Baseline Review and Assessment” of the state of legal weed in Massachusetts.
The report, filed by the state Cannabis Control Commission, cites studies from around the nation and around the world in pointing out trends for pot purveyors and lawmakers to consider, including:
■ Sales are growing through the roof, with $394.3 million in gross sales from November 2018 to the same month in last year.
■ 371,596 pot plants have been “legally produced” for the adult market over that same period.
■ “Buds” are the top sellers and concentrates with the highest THC potency next in line.
■ And in a key finding, legal weed was preferred to illegal pot — as long as the price remains reasonable.
Pot proponent Jim Borghesani, a leader of the 2016 cannabis legalization campaign and now a consultant, said the industry must continue to find a “balance.”
He said the pot panel’s update is welcome, but it’s too soon to tell how legal weed is working in Massachusetts — but it’s off to a solid start.
“It’s being shown that people are willing to pay more for a safe buying experience,” Borghesani said. “Supply will ultimately equal demand, but we’re not there yet.”
He said fears of youngsters being able to buy legal weed have, so far, been debunked. He also said lawmakers should think twice about raising any more taxes off legal weed sales. Cannabis consumers now pay a 6.25% sales tax and 10.75% excise tax. Some cities and towns tack on a 3% local tax.
There are more than 30 retail pot shops in Massachusetts, but none in Cambridge or Boston. That is about to change and that’s when the pot picture will begin to fill out. For now, the pot report cites studies suggesting an average sale per pot user of about $40.
“But there are lines at some of these pot shops now,” Borghesani added. “Some of these places are doing $12 million worth of sales a month.”