Buzz
While it’s incredibly thrilling to have legal access to cannabis, the rush for profits has attracted substantial venture capital investment. If you’re familiar with the outcomes when such investments flood an industry, you probably already know the result: a massive hiring spree of executives from industries known for exploitation, which in turn brought every cannabis consumer’s worst fear—exorbitantly high prices.
There’s nothing wrong with paying for top-tier weed. High prices once meant higher quality and stronger potency, but unfortunately, that’s not always the case in legal states. In fact, the lower- and middle-range options are often a gamble. As a medical consumer in California, I’ve found that many budtenders avoid recommending anything below the luxury tier, simply because they can’t guarantee its quality. Throw in 30% state taxes, and suddenly you're paying $50 or more for something that might be underwhelming. In a state like Illinois, one of the priciest for legal cannabis, an ounce of weed could cost you 50% more than it would in a more affordable state like Oregon.
I recently caught up with Natasha Przedborski, co-founder of Pussyweed, a cannabis accessory and advocacy brand, at Hall of Flowers, one of the cannabis industry’s premier networking events. She agreed with me that the legal cannabis market is in the middle of a pricing crisis.
"Inflation is certainly affecting both legal and legacy markets," she said, exhaling smoke from a Punch Rocket preroll. "Costs are rising throughout the supply chain, and it’s trickling down to consumers. Flower prices in New York are climbing because those in California are climbing too, and we know where New York’s getting its product. I’m seeing $100 eighths in NY—and people are paying for them. That’s a 150% markup."
No one’s arguing that high-quality, potent products don’t justify their price tags—but affordability is harder to come by than ever before. While I can't recommend you revert to the unregulated and risky underground market, I can share a few strategies (with some help from cannabis experts) to help you maximize your purchases and make your stash last longer.
GYO (That’s “grow your own”)
If you live in a state that allows home cultivation, growing your own cannabis is a practical way to cut costs. Certain outdoor plants can produce nearly a pound of cannabis, which could be enough for a year’s supply for all but the heaviest users. Growing your own isn’t exactly a walk in the park, but it’s definitely doable. With the right soil, sunlight, fertilizers, and water, your plants will thrive—though outdoor plants can be susceptible to pests, including weed thieves.
Indoor cultivation requires more in terms of equipment and preparation, and since indoor plants rely on electricity rather than sunlight, there are additional hidden expenses. However, for those who enjoy a hands-on project and lack the ideal climate or gardening skills for outdoor growing, indoor cultivation can be educational, rewarding, and potentially produce more potent buds (once you get the hang of it).
Both methods come with an investment, and Przedborski found GYO to be quite challenging. "I tried growing my own when I first moved to LA. I bought a clone from a cultivator I really liked, thinking it would be a good way to save money. I won’t lie, it was a disaster. Growing tasty buds takes a lot of effort and resources (aka money)."
However, there is still hope. Khalid Al-Naser, head of product at Raw Garden, and I had a conversation about home growing, budgeting, and cannabis concentrates—all areas in which he has expertise.
"Anytime you can grow your own anything, it’s a worthwhile endeavor," Al-Naser said. "I truly believe that everyone should invest in growing some of what they enjoy consuming—whether that’s herbs on their windowsill or a cannabis plant in their backyard."
Vaping can help extend your supply
Maybe you don’t have the space to grow, or perhaps it’s illegal in your state. In that case, practical tips like why having a scale is essential for any enthusiast can help you save money more effectively.
Raw Garden is renowned for its premium concentrates, and when you scoop something from a jar without using a scale, the amount you're getting is anyone's guess.
While Al-Naser favors the potent and aromatic concentrates he makes, he acknowledges that other methods are more budget-friendly. "When I'm traveling, I typically rely on vape carts to stretch my product," he shared. Prefer the classic, tried-and-tested methods?
"Back when I was younger and smoked a lot of flower, I'd buy my weed, weigh it out, and roll it into individual joints to pace myself throughout the week," Al-Naser explained. "A quarter ounce would become 14 half-gram joints, or a half-ounce would turn into 14 one-gram joints, so I’d have two joints for each day. In other words: It’s all about planning, planning, planning."
Make the most of every joint (or switch to glass)
A classic trick is the frankenjoint, where you collect the leftover roaches from a day or week, cut open the paper, and salvage any remaining herb. You can typically roll an additional large joint from every 5–10 roaches, and I’ll always remember A$AP Rocky telling Desus and Mero, "we still do that," with a sense of New York pride.
Like Rocky, both Pussyweed’s Przedborski and I have gone through some strange weed moments in NYC. There were times when you had to stretch your supply because your "budtender" was out of stock or, more often, unreachable.
She advises, "Ditch the joints and blunts. If you're running low on bud or cash, stick to glass. Save everything—stems, kief, all of it. You can brew THC tea or even make your own hash from leftovers if you're feeling creative."
Przedborski is also a fan of salvaging spent vape pens. "Back in the early days of vape carts, I’d use paper clips to scoop out every bit of leftover oil. You can use it in joints or bowls for an extra boost, or mix it all to create a new cart."
DIY edibles
If you’re into edibles or tinctures, making your own is already a money saver. An eighth of flower can yield 700mg of edibles or oil, costing only twice what you'd pay for a 100mg pack of store-bought edibles. Plus, making your own leaves you with oily weed—called raffinate—and you shouldn’t toss it if you’re on a budget. Though not as strong, there are still cannabinoids left. Freeze the remnants after making oil or butter, and once you have enough, you can use it in food dishes to mask the green crunch, or run more oil through it for a low-dose infusion. My go-to hack is turning raffinate into pesto with fresh herbs and olive oil, freezing it in four-ounce portions for some magical pasta whenever I want."
Although weed is pricey at the moment, some speculate that this is just a temporary phase. Once market forces weed out the investors focused solely on profit, hopefully, it will be those truly passionate about the plant, rather than its financial returns, who take the reins of the industry—just as it was before legalization. Maybe that's wishful thinking, but until then, smoke ‘em if you got ‘em—if you can afford them.
