We need to unite

[SoCoMMJ]

I don't believe there will be retail outlets. If you have been reading the news there is a new moratorium almost daily banning retail sales in towns across Colorado. If some are allowed to open don't think it would be safe to be there after dark. SoCo I understand your feelings and hope you continue to prosper but most dispensaries are selling shit these days and greed from shady operations will continue to diminish the quality for most.

In the end market quality will be dictated by the fickle consumer. As the prices continue to fall, consumers will be demanding better products at a lower price. When consumer retail hits there will likely be another significant price drop. I suspect that $100 quality ounces will be the norm at that point. With overhead involved, I don't see prices to go below that level, but who knows.

The bans I've seen are counties, excepting Fruita. Counties will continue to collect sales taxes made in the incorporated cities within their borders, so they really have nothing to loose. Major cities that implement bans will likely be overturned by citizen driven initiatives.

Local [and state] leadership is reluctant to endorse marijuana, so they implement bans to appease the prohibitionists. When the citizens overturn that decision, they can say "oh well, it wasn't us" and still get the sales tax benefits.

 

[putembk]

In the end market quality will be dictated by the fickle consumer. As the prices continue to fall, consumers will be demanding better products at a lower price. When consumer retail hits there will likely be another significant price drop. I suspect that $100 quality ounces will be the norm at that point. With overhead involved, I don't see prices to go below that level, but who knows.

The bans I've seen are counties, excepting Fruita. Counties will continue to collect sales taxes made in the incorporated cities within their borders, so they really have nothing to loose. Major cities that implement bans will likely be overturned by citizen driven initiatives.

Local [and state] leadership is reluctant to endorse marijuana, so they implement bans to appease the prohibitionists. When the citizens overturn that decision, they can say "oh well, it wasn't us" and still get the sales tax benefits.

As I stated earlier, no hate here, hope you do well and continue to make a profit. I in the mean time will continue to do what I am doing for as long as it amuses me. Think you are wrong about pricing but time will tell. I don't think a business will be able to operate profitably at $100/oz. You would have to move a lot of product in as efficient a way as possible with all the taxes, permits, overhead and all the unknown shit coming your way.

Anybody putting a business plan together in this industry right now would have no idea what his expense structure would look like until the final rules and regs are complete. Then get ready for more adjustments (all bad) to come in the following months. I believe our wonderful lawmakers are going to regulate the average joe into submission. Like you said local and state leadership are reluctant to endorse you so out there without many friends.

 

[soserthc1]

google greenleaf in new jersey and see what those two guys went thru to just open the first dispensary in New Jersey - 500k on the line for two years without a dime coming in , me i will continue to sell my 350-400 zips in the black market until the idiotic ways of our gov't come to terms that we are not going to stop ever.....

 

[sky high]

IF the FED gives concession and allows the retail model in CO to become a reality you can bet that they will be RIDING HERD on these butt pirate licensees like has never been seen before. MMED has been a JOKE and the DEA knows this. There's been so much product moved out of state by these big warehouses that prices have dropped on bags as far away as St' Louis (according to friends there who have been buying bags for 40 years)...possily farther.

My guess is that no concession will be given. To do so will be the DEA/FED admitting defeat on the "War on Drugs" and I just don't see anyone outside of our own State leaders stepping up to support the model >or< the FEDS spending cash to fuck with it AT ALL.

My guess is that rather than making concessions...a show of force will soon be shown. If the FEDS don't make a stand..NOW.....the Dam will break and this will all go nationwide. No matter how I feel about it personally...I honestly don't see the FED going from Schedule 1 to Legal SALES in one fell swoop. IMO....it will be FAR cheaper for the FEDS to address this NOW....and to STOP IT by prosecuting those who have been selling retail MJ in violation of FED law than it will for them to give the nod to any sales whatsoever.

 

[fishwhistle]

Im not painting a dark picture,50-60 dollar eighths of mediocre bud to sick folks now thats a dark picture and dispensaries are painting it themselves.Its funny how the dispensary folks want and need the help of all the rest of us when its to their advantage but if they had their way it would be illegal for anyone to grow but them,they would gladly throw everyone to the dogs in the name of profit,do as i say not as i do.They didnt adapt to a changing environment,they were corrupted by it,like i said its all about the benjamins.
Funny how you refer to anyone not in your industry circle as "black market",get a grip brother you should not throw that phrase around so quickly because you are the blackest of the black market according to the feds and rob corry and all the rest of the hotshot lawyers in colorado cannot protect you from their wrath,MJ is either illegal or its not,their is no gray area or i bought a permit for 100,00 grand that makes me special.Just a peek at whats coming to your town soon:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/...nced-marijuana-10-years-prison_n_2433827.html
I can provide as many links as you like if you want more,Black market?Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

 

[true grit]

Tellin ya Sky High, i watched the Fed expert panel on it the other day on proposed action and they said that unless Congress steps up and makes a stand either way, that Fed is probably gonna sit back and let this experiment run because they can't afford to enforce and if they do all CO has to do is loosen regs and the Fed is fucked- not enough man power and expanded black market. They wouldn't allude to whether they wanted congress to repeal/or set guidelines, but they straight up list another 6-7 states that will be legalizing shortly (Cali, Nevada, Oreg, NM, etc) They said the emphasis will be keeping the weed in CO and figuring out how to keep the next states in line.

One big emphasis is that by harassing states on matters like this, several congressman/women are supporting a federal "opt-out" bill that will allow them to opt out of fed law on issues like this, instead of having to go through whole legalization. Thats what they were fearing and why consider not pushing to hard. Even brought up that Obama won CO pretty much only because voter turn out for Am. 64...not that that means a lot, but this was probably the most logical Fed panel/realistic outlook on scenario i've seen. But like i said in the other thread- generally fed and logical action don't go together but they did seem pretty defeated here and working on minimizing damage/spread.

Another key issue was making sure congress acts now to prevent CO/Wash from turning into "pot tourist" destinations. prevent all advertising from promoting legal pot smoking/sales and keeping it internal in CO...which you are already seeing with limiting legal sales to in state licensed citizens only.

Just some food for thought on a logical plane.

 

[outwest]

I simply don't share the holistic disdain for dispensaries that many of you have. I certainly hate shitty shady dispensaries, and fully acknowledge that those make up most of the shops out there. However, there are quite a few great shops out there providing an excellent product and service at a fair price to their customers. They aren't part of any conspiracy to shut out the little guys, they are just playing by an ever changing set of rules, many of whom are just as frustrated by shifting legislation as you guys are. Alas, they play the game, pay their dues, and make some coin in the process. Can't fault them for that.

I grow plenty of my own strictly for personal use, but have no problem stopping by a shop to try something out, fill in a gap between harvests, or pick up a related item like seeds.

outwest

 

[outwest]

They said the emphasis will be keeping the weed in CO and figuring out how to keep the next states in line.

Literally everyone I know coming out of or IN TO of CO is getting pulled over and having their vehicles torn apart in NE, KS, or TX.

outwest

 

[kolah]

Exactly what is the definition for The Black Market? The "mexican cartels?" Or is it Basement Bob selling to his buddies or is it the pervert guy in a trenchcoat hanging out by the schools "pushing the dope" to the kiddies. That "black market" term always seems funky to me. It's kinda a catch-all phrase and gets thrown around to fit a broad range of bullshit. To me, the real black market is the mother fucking gov agencies (CIA, military/ black ops. etc) that smuggle in the heroin, opium, meth etc by the fucking pounds. And it's the same "black market" bastards smuggling in and selling guns and ammo. Black Market, meh.

I am starting to dislike the dispensary scene. I once supported it but I am slowly changing my mind. For the folks who can't grow or do not want to grow I like the idea of private caregivers much better. The entire weed Industry here in CO and other "legal" states is starting to look a big ugly to me.

They may be a few decent shops out there but I think that is the one-percenters.

 

[kolah]

Literally everyone I know coming out of or IN TO of CO is getting pulled over and having their vehicles torn apart in NE, KS, or TX.

outwest

Not good. How do you know this?

 

[kolah]

Thanks OW. ;)

 

[Pancho-N-Lefty]

Yeah no trips to CO any time soon thanks outwest!
And on a side note: Kolah.. your sig intrests me. I looked into it with a simple search and found nothing. F'king bastages! Seems that bs about net nutrality is very aparent now with this black out. Thanks for the heads up.

PnL

 

[kolah]

Panch, see my "updated" sig link. I find it quite inspiring...and no blood in the streets either.

.

 

[SoCoMMJ]

Im not painting a dark picture,50-60 dollar eighths of mediocre bud to sick folks now thats a dark picture and dispensaries are painting it themselves.

Not sure about CA, but here in CO you can get a quality 1/4 for 50-60 dollars all day long. We sell them to members for as low as $30 for top quality bud. Yet you tell me we are abusing sick folks by fleecing them of their money. We have donated more bud for free than you have probably seen in your life. You have no Idea what we do here... quit being so fucking abrasive towards something you don't know shit about. You are not even in Colorado for fucks sake.

Its funny how the dispensary folks want and need the help of all the rest of us

Not sure how you got the idea that we need your help. We seem to be doing just fine without you. Being pretty savy on the business end of things I was just trying to point out what actions private growers in this thread might take to stay productive and in the game. They got fucked over the first time around. Second time around is coming up now.

They didnt adapt to a changing environment,they were corrupted by it,like i said its all about the benjamins.

Just because you say it doesn't make it true. Not all are corrupt. In fact most owners that I know seem to be pretty caring folks. I will say that I do know a few that are total dicks as well. The pile of benjamins is not as big as you think. Some day I might get to keep a couple of them.

Funny how you refer to anyone not in your industry circle as "black market",...Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

Not sure why you take offense at the term black market. If you are selling in an illegal market you are selling black market. Marijuana has been a black market product since 1937 until just recently when it became "legally" available through dispensaries and caregivers.

Here is what wiki says about black market:
Black market is a covert trade in illegal or stolen goods. Pretty sure that's the way marijuana is being sold... outside of the system. You probably aren't making transactions in a retail front. Posters in this thread said they weren't trying to be legal. Black Market, it is what it is. If you are outside of the legal system, the you are black market. It's not derogatory, it's a trade term.

My comment regarding the black market was that if they [not you] want to continue to grow without opening a dispensary, then they need to get busy, form a group, and lobby the rule makers to allow private growers to sell into the upcoming retail system. You are in CA... it is different there. Not sure why you are even on the CO board stirring up a bunch of shit here.

 

[true grit]

Fish- no systems are different in CO vs. Cali. Ours is built into constitution, Cali's is not- folks not gonna get 10yr prison sentence after buying a state license. From what i've always heard as well, operating in that area of Cali and being big aint the brightest idea.

Soco- We all realize your practices are different but from my experience thats few and far between. Especially as we step into a retail market where being fair/cheap for to patients isn't going to be as big of a deal as making money off of non-patients. Sure that will flip some folks scripts too just for the money and not to lose out on biz now that things are shifting.

 

[kolah]

SOCOMMJ, to the feds, weed is illegal.... therefore dispensaries must be black market. Shame shame. ;)

 

[sky high]

I've heard the FED saying they were gonna look the other way, tg.....but I don't believe it.
Just because these fuckers railroaded their dispensaries into our law doesn't mean the FED is gonna automatically accept these sales. Let's hope not anyway. I'd love nothing better than to see a HUGE correction in all of this and the Centers and their suppliers to simply "go away". SOCO's attitude only reinforces this within me. Who the fuck do you think you are...schooling us that OUR sales are "illegal" and making yourself appear to walk on water as untouchable??

I hope they walk your ass right down to Canon City for that kinda attitude, bitch. Fuck you and your "license".

Maybe it's time for the PATIENTS themselves to call for some enforcement? We didn't vote ANY of this in.....

 

[kolah]

Much agreed, SH. The Almighty God of Dispensary has spoken. <let's out a big old fart> Oooo, I needed that.

Thanks SOCO for convincing me that the dispense' scene is total bullshit. You and a few other dispensary folks I know seem to have that same piss-ass attitude. With your recent posts you really ain't making too many friends here.

Have fun in your Black Market business.

 

[fishwhistle]

True,I hear what you are saying but i have to say you are wrong on this point IMO,the feds DO NOT care about colorados constitution or laws at all,In fact you cannot even mention them as a defense in federal court,it is forbidden.I have watched it time and time again,the only law that matters to the fed is theirs period,I truly wish i was wrong on this.It is amazing to many of us here in cali that folks in colorado feel protected or exempt from federal law but your not,you are subject to the exact same law and consequences that we are.Dont take it from me,check it out for yourself.
Soco,I think everyone here already has your number and sees right through your BS,good luck and hopefully you dont get that knock on the door saying,DEA OPEN UP SEARCH WARRANT!

 

[SoCoMMJ]

Good luck in your future endeavors.