The legal cannabis industry in the United States has slowly expanded over the last decade. Despite the federal illegality of cannabis, lawmakers and state representatives have implemented successful medical and recreational cannabis programs across the nation. With legalization, patients and consumers have more freedom in product choice, and many are turning to homegrown cannabis.
As of July 2022, 38 states in America have legalized medical cannabis, and 19 states and the District of Columbia have established recreational cannabis programs. Due to the increasing number of legal cannabis programs throughout the states, more people than ever before are testing out their green thumb and opting to grow their own cannabis at home.
Whether you grow cannabis at home or have considered growing cannabis at home, then you probably know that the initial setup costs can be pricey. You can grow outdoors in the ground directly for a fairly low overhead cost. However, this may limit your yield considerably, since, in many places, you only get one grow season.
Indoor cannabis cultivation allows an average of four harvests each year instead of one. However, indoor cultivation is generally more expensive. Grow rooms require ventilation, lights, environmental controls, and other optimal environmental conditions in order for cannabis plants to thrive. Grow tents could be a more affordable alternative to a dedicated grow room, but a small grow tent can still cost upwards of $400.
Research from New Frontier Data estimates that around 3 million people grow their own cannabis at home in the United States. Those three million home growers are expected to cultivate approximately 11 million pounds of dried cannabis in 2022.
That is 4,928,000,000 grams of homegrown cannabis being cultivated by Americans. The research conducted by New Frontier Data went on to show that 65% of those who grow cannabis at home were in a relationship or married, and 46% had children under the age of 18.
This data suggests that many adults are finding ways to grow cannabis at home in a safe and responsible manner regardless of familial obligations. It also may reflect American’s growing acceptance of cannabis, and the shift in attitude toward the plant.
Veriheal has satisfied millions of patients nationwide by giving them access to these benefits
The legal market for at-home cannabis cultivation supplies offers some insight into this shift in attitude. According the market researcher’s projection, the industry is expected to achieve a value of $4 billion by 2030.
Many people choose to grow at home because they save money and get better quality cannabis. Unfortunately, just because cannabis is sold in a dispensary does not mean it is good quality. The industry is inundated with substandard weed.
Too many growers push their product out too fast, and do not give it the right amount of time to mature or cure properly. Some industrial cultivators cut corners by using potentially dangerous additives or other substandard practices to increase their profit margins.
Often, consumers start growing cannabis at home due to a lack of available options in dispensaries. Nowadays, you can’t be sure you’re getting what you pay for. A strain’s name doesn’t mean what it used to. With a home grow a consumer can control everything that goes into the final product. It also may be more convenient to grow cannabis at home if a consumer lives in a rural area or in a state that only has a limited number of accessible dispensaries.
Homegrown cannabis gives all the power to the consumer. The home grower is able to pick the genetics, choose to use pesticides or not, and have full knowledge of all the plant nutrients and soil used during the cultivation process. The home grow cannabis supply industry is starting to achieve numbers in the billions, and it may be due to the desire of many cannabis consumers to have greater control over product quality.
Consumers are getting fed up with only having access to the same limited set of genetics in the dispensary. The CEO of New Frontier Data, Gary Allan, pointed out a very important change that could drastically alter growing cannabis at home, making it an even bigger hit than it already is. The change he pointed out was in how the DEA treats marijuana seeds.
“The DEA’s recent decision to treat marijuana seeds as hemp could open up the market for National cannabis seed distribution in a substantial way. This significant policy shift could also increase the breadth of genetics available to home growers, making it possible to produce strains that are not commercial available.”
There are many benefits of growing cannabis at home including quality control, potential financial savings, increased choice, and the fact that growing can be therapeutic. Americans increasingly recognize these benefits, and when presented with the choice opt to grow their own cannabis at home. New Frontier Data predicts that Americans will grow an estimated 15 million pounds of dried cannabis at home by 2030. Will you be one of them?
when can people grow there own in NJ it doesn’t make any sense you can smoke it buy it but can’t grow it . I don’t think there’s a difference between a tomato plant and a can bus plant
I agree with you. I am tired of spending tons of money at dispensery and not even getting what I actually want plus paying 400 for a z from local dealer. I spent 25 years combined service in army and air force first two years as a paratrooper scout machine gunner in nam 67-69. I find it hard moving in the morning due to various injuries from being a paratrooper. Kept up schooling in military till I became a flight engineer on c141 and c5 aircraft flying into war zones. So, after serving my country, having old wounds keeping me in pain they would put me in prison for 5 years along with 20k fine for medicating myself in order to function. Nice country, ask me if I would volunteer for a country that lied about being attacked in the first place. Approx 60k young Americans died because of a lie that was made up to get war manufacturers rich. So, America killed off it’s young to make companies rich but would treat me as deadly criminal for growing my meds!
And those huge “industrial” multi-state growers are the only ones NJ will allow, after promising licenses to small business. Not that we should expect anything else from a state run by the former head of Goldman Sachs. So much for being the “Garden State” – even large local farms are excluded from the “industry building” Murphy was so excited about, and anyone with a green thumb and a med card can still expect the SWAT team if they stick a seed in a pot of dirt.
Where do I get seeds?
Can you post pictures
I love it Ashley! Let’s talk when you get a chance.
How do I get my own seeds?
Have you ever wondered what it would take to make your own edibles at home? Have you ever been wowed by a friend’s or professional baker’s creations in a 420-friendly kitchen? If so, we can help you achieve those skills on your own. With this guide, you’ll learn the best practices for making cannabutter and turning…
It’s easy to accidentally overdo it when consuming edibles, especially if you don’t know your tolerance or wait long enough before taking more. Perhaps your edible high lasted longer than expected, which can potentially happen when you’re trying a new product. No matter the reason, don’t worry — we have some tips and tricks to…
Few ingredients encapsulate the holiday season and Christmas like cranberries. Their vibrant red hue reminds one of Christmas lights, Santa’s iconic scarlet suit, and Rudolph’s glimmering nose. So, what better way to celebrate this joyous holiday than by giving this iconic Christmas berry a cannabis twist? Our infused Cranberry Christmas Tree Cocktail mixes stunning presentation…
It can be difficult to keep up with all things cannabis — like cannabinoids, terpenes, strains, etc. — unless you’re immersed in it daily. When I first visited a Denver dispensary, I asked the budtender about terpenes. The budtender didn’t have much information for me besides explaining that concentrates with higher terpene content were more…
Whatever your reasons for consuming cannabis during the day, it’s important to know it will affect you. You want to avoid becoming couch-locked when you should be working on something! Unless you’re enjoying a relaxing day off, you likely need to get things done throughout the day — so your cannabis should assist, not prevent,…
Sign up for our newsletter
Get your medical marijuana card today
Sign up in under 5 minutes
