Why Black Market Weed Is Thriving in the Age of Legalization

Updated on July 16, 2019
Why Black Market Weed Is Thriving in the Age of Legalization copy
Black market of drugs trade, dollars and cannabis

Legalize marijuana! That’s the call on most of the political pages, on either side of the aisle. At least, when it comes to young people.

Some people think it’s almost a miracle drug, using derivatives (like CBD) to treat everything from seizures to cancer symptoms.

And people keep pointing out that Colorado legalized it and is doing well, monetarily – but money isn’t the only measure of success.

These optimists are ignoring any downsides of legalization – and there’s a big one! The rise of black market weed is on its way up, thanks to legalization or at least due to decriminalization.

Learn why we’re not a green country yet, below.

Black Market Weed in Dispensaries

If you live in a state where medical or recreational marijuana is legal and you want to sell it – you have to jump through a lot of hoops. And we mean a lot. It’s practically like auditioning for the circus.

But what if you could just get a black market supply of weed, rent out space, and not jump through the hoops at all?

That’s what some … entrepreneurs are doing and they’re the only kind of getting caught.

Most of these cases are in Los Angeles, but these illegal dispensaries are popping up around the country. People go to them thinking they’re buying legally, and go on their way.

And the police aren’t interested in the people who think they’re following the rules. They’re interested in the distributors.

What Happens When They Get Caught?

In these Los Angeles cases, not a lot, actually. Illegal weed dispensaries have to get reported by someone to the police, who will then come and check out their credentials.

If they can’t produce them or they’re obviously fake, the police would confiscate their product, right? Wrong. In most cases, they only shut off the power to the location or threatened them that they better be prepared for “next time”.

And what do most illegal weed dispensary owners do? They keep selling, working out of the same building or even changing retail locations.

In some cases, they abandon their retail front entirely. But now they have an overload of black market weed that they need to move. Where do they take it? Back to the streets.

Now we’re back to a dealing-on-the-streets economy again. Now they’re doing something (extra) illegal and buying their product is illegal as well.

If you get caught buying marijuana from an unlicensed dispensary (or dealer) you’ll need legal representation. Don’t hesitate, call Flaherty Defense Firm as soon as the dust settles.

How Can We Be Better?

If you engage in legal (medical or recreational) marijuana shopping, make sure you’re shopping at a certified dispensary. They should have their license displayed in their window, or at least somewhere you can see it.

If they don’t check your ID when you walk in (mandatory) or you get a bad feeling – get out. You don’t need to mess around with black market weed.

To learn more about trends (legal and illegal) in the healthcare industry, catch up in our “news” section. 

The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.