Why weren't local farmer's given a chance to grow in their greenhouses or fields? Given a chance to make good money. Guarantee you the quality would have been unsurpassed.
The opportunity was given here in MA to grow hemp as a prediction of how it could/ would work, just to open the door. The main issue is of course, number one, money, number two, quality control. US Government wants Uncle Sam to get his nickel. With so many people growing, that is too difficult as the black market is opened up to what we humble people call fair trade. Enter inspections, enter Big Pharmacy, Big Money and the whole paradigm becomes a honey trap for Big Industry, while the little guy gets squeezed out.
No matter what's said, us new legal zones follow in the footsteps of Colorado. They have been doing this a long time and have worked out many not the links months system, although here in MA we are stuck at the inspection roadblock. Everything has to be tested.
Second, if only this were like tobacco, where the buyers.would come out and lock in deals and we were able to actually make money from our efforts, that'd be great. Instead, if we want to make anything, we are forced.into a black market area where we are competing with rookies selling subpar medicine for nickels, squished between idiots who would rather go to a dispensary and pay way overpriced amounts for what is often not nearly as good as what we grow.
Seriously, for what you might spend, $60? At the dispensary, a grower could potentially let an oz of really decent smoke.go for around $140-$160. And that's what the prices are down to. I mean, 5 years ago, I may have seen blue Dream going for $4k a lb, cash. Now, prices are driven down to the 1600-1900 per lb. range because we don't have to lean on out of state black market anymore, there's plenty of local bud around.
I've heard that the only way to make a.decent return is to store your flower with humidity packs and wait it out til Feb. / Mar. when the bulk of the season has been sold , then spring the amazing sweetness out.
Just a rumour mind you.
My thoughts - just passing thru....