Is the Future of Cannabis in Craft or Commercial Cultivation?

The future of cannabis seems to be drifting to mega-companies and corporations that cultivate greenery for the masses. Or is it? Some would argue that the legal cannabis industry is shifting towards a craft industry very similar to beer. Obviously, cannabis presents the opportunity for corporations and companies to cement foundations for future generational wealth. The demand for cannabis in the US is great. Global Newswire published an article that predicts the legal US cannabis market to reach an estimated $35 billion approaching 2025. The same article estimated that $66 billion dollars worth of cannabis products were sold in 2019 alone if you were to combine both the illicit market with the newly merging legal industry.

A Prime Example of How Corporate Cannabis Isn’t Cool

For many people, cannabis is about medicine and spirituality. They don’t just consume any old weed off the street. Companies and mega corporations seem to have missed this memo. If you think I’m making this up, just ask the CEO of Canopy Growth David Klein. Canopy Growth is closing down production facilities across Canada and cutting the jobs of an estimated 220 employees. Apparently, growing massive amounts of cannabis wasn’t the way to get rich. If the quality isn’t there, the product won’t sell no matter how big or flashy or grow setup may be.

Instead of focusing on how to provide better quality medicine for consumers, they are most focused on achieving a financial goal. David Kline was quoted in a company announcement, “As part of the end-to-end review of our operations that we outlined during our second-quarter earnings call, we have made the decision to close a number of our production facilities. These actions will be an important step towards achieving our targeted 150 to 200 million of cost savings and accelerating our path to profitability, ” as you can see, leaving out any mention of quality or better serving their consumer base.

Cannabis Cultivation is a Craft and Prices Reflect That

There is a very successful cannabis dispensary and grow operation in Colorado called The Farm. They specialize in small craft batches of cannabis that are grown to perfection. I have had the pleasure of touring one of their small craft facilities, and it was beautiful. Instead of plants being grown on a calendar grow, they were allowed to reach their peak. The master growers at the small craft cannabis cultivation site were very familiar with the genetics of their ladies and knew how to listen to them and give them what they need.

All cannabis plants do not mature at the same rate. This means that when a grower who ONLY pays attention to the calendar cycle harvests their plants, some of them may not have reached maturity. This creates a substandard product that lacks in quality and performance. Products with exquisite taste, a potent punch that packs a powerful buzz will cost top dollar. In some states, you can expect to pay anywhere between $15 to $20 a gram for some superior top-shelf cannabis. This puts the price for an ounce of good cannabis beginning, coincidentally, at $420 plus tax and per ounce. If that doesn’t signify a craft market, I’m not sure what does. Dispensaries will always be able to push off substandard budget ounces because America is loaded with financially challenged and/or budget dependent individuals. If you ask them if they’d rather have better product, the obvious answer is yes; they just can’t afford it.

The United States of America has made a mockery of freedom by dividing the country over a plant. The prohibition of cannabis is a draconian act built off of racism and lies that should be abolished. What is there to discuss? The fact that parts of our government still support this outdated form of thinking shows us that we, as people, need to do more to vote them out of office. Besides the individuals who don’t support cannabis, an increasing percentage of Americans love cannabis. You can travel across the country now and find it in several locations, not just Colorado, Washington, and Oregon. One thing anybody who loves cannabis can tell you is that if you want something good, even in the legal market, you better grow it yourself or be prepared to pay top dollar. The legal market doesn’t mean lower prices. It means paying prohibition prices for peace of mind that’s without the fear of doing jail time over the possession of a plant.

They May Hand it Over to Corporate but Quality Craft Cannabis Will Always Win

As you watch the government discuss cannabis legalization, a very clear picture is being painted of who it’s being handed over to. Companies and corporations are setting themselves up to be the major players but will that work for them? It didn’t go over so well for the big massive grows in Canada, so it might not take here in the states either. As the legal cannabis industry cultivates a foundation in the global presence of the cannabis trade community, it will begin to learn that quality is key. Nobody wants to buy a bunch of mass-produced low-quality products. If that’s what you’re selling, it’s just a matter of time before the people weed you out.