WTF collectives !

[green.budz]

Why is it collectives in so cal are priced like street vendors ? I thought there were compassionate non profit organisations dedicated to providing medicine but today I saw a collective in sd that was pricing eights at 65$ top shelf ...
some of us need the medicine , and at a more affordabe price .
when a doc can give you a perscription of viccoden (25+ pills ) for 5 $ with insurance , shouldnt a movement trying to gain weight offer a better medication at a more reasonable price ? I wont name the collective but god ...

 

[naimad1234]

thats why i grow, 65 an eighth is a bit more than i can spend on a regular basis

 

[Fallen Buckshot]

Unless it says compassion club or co-op you probably going to get jacked on the price .. on the other hand most collectives grow prime organic bud so its likely better quality than what you would get on the corner

 

[Luger187]

i know of a place that has 70 dollar 8ths, and sometimes 80 dollar ones that arent on the menu. i usually only get dubs from them, since its 22.50 for one

i swear to god its the best buds u have ever seen. i do one small snap with a greevo, and im well medicated for about 6 hours. the dubs usually last 2-3 days each, whereas a dub of regular clinic stuff is gone in one day. so economically, it works out great for me

ive never bought a whole 8th from them yet, since i havent had much money lately. but i wouldnt hesitate to pay it if i had the money

edit: also, ive had my med card for a lil over 2 years now. ive been to MANY clinics in socal. sometimes driving 2 hours to get to some. this is BY FAR the best quality ive ever seen at any place, at any price. hands down

 

[dirtsurfr]

I grow my own but it's expensive!!!
I'll get set up with MORE everything and grow more so I can take care of a paintet or two.

 

[Dan Kone]

Why is it collectives in so cal are priced like street vendors ? I thought there were compassionate non profit organisations dedicated to providing medicine but today I saw a collective in sd that was pricing eights at 65$ top shelf ...

Non profit organization just means you have to open a second for profit holding corporation to funnel your profits into.

They charge $65 an eight because people will pay $65 an 1/8. You'd be surprised. Most people who go into dispensaries will just go in having no idea how to assess quality and just order the most expensive thing on the menu.

I had one of my strains for sale at a dispensary for $50 an 1/8. It sat there for like a month and a half and no one was buying it. The dispensary owner changed the name of it and raised the price to $65 and it sold out and his customers were asking for more. lol

So to answer your question, shit is priced at $65 dollars an 1/8 because stupid people like it that way.

some of us need the medicine , and at a more affordabe price .
when a doc can give you a perscription of viccoden (25+ pills ) for 5 $ with insurance , shouldnt a movement trying to gain weight offer a better medication at a more reasonable price ? I wont name the collective but god ...

Ok. If you really no what to look for then you should have no problem finding quality medicine at a dispensary for around $45 an 1/8. I've spent a lot of time in the business so I know how the pricing works.

The difference between a $65 and a $45 dollar 1/8 usually has almost nothing to do with product strength what so ever. The differences are usually superficial.

If the buds are small instead of big, then they are almost never in the $60 dollar range. I frequently see really strong dank buds in the $45 dollar range for no other reason than the buds are smaller. I know one club that even separates the small buds from the big ones and charges half price for the same medicine from the same plant! Physical bud size has nothing to do with how effective the medicine is. If you want a better deal, look for strains with smaller buds.

Bud color is another big one. If a bud is purple or has unusual coloring, then it automatically jumps up $10-20 dollars in price. Purple has nothing to do with effectiveness.

There are plenty of great deals at dispensaries, you just have to know what you're looking for. Find small green buds that are covered in crystals instead of big purple buds and you'll usually get a great deal. If you're looking for buds that "look good" and are a great deal, well that really has nothing to do with getting reasonable priced medication.

Oddly enough, the last thing most customers of medical dispensaries look for is a high quantity of large foggy/amber crystals, which btw is the most important thing to look for.

 

[SB Garlic]

Its a joke that some of these spots charge $65 an 8th. Whats even more whack is the spot I hit today mislabeled a strain as indica dominant when its really a sativa dominant. Dan what area did you have your stuff selling at a dispensary?

 

[AbsoluteChron]

The biggest hypocrisy that I see is in the current and proposed high tax rate. Why is something used for medication being slapped with an excessive sin tax? I think that in order to justify any such sin tax that it would have to be outright legal and subject to similar guidelines that alcohol and tobacco fall under, otherwise it should not be subject to taxes that are any higher than typical medications.

As for the price complaints I do agree that many clubs are overpriced. I have an extremely effective solution to this problem: I simply do not buy anything that is not of acceptable quality for the price. It's no different than buying something on the street, or even fruit in a grocery store. There is always a price difference between buying fruit in a grocery store versus buying directly from a farmer at a street stand. The clubs may do a significant amount of business but they have extremely high operating costs. The legal fees alone that I would bet all clubs face must be staggering. Add to that the fact that cannabis, especially that of exceptional quality is expensive (and dangerous) to grow and it is understandable to me that the cost is not often too different from street prices.

 

[Dan Kone]

Its a joke that some of these spots charge $65 an 8th.

For the most part. And the joke is on the people who walk into clubs only interested in buying the highest priced buds. This is a lot of people.

Not always the case though. Sometimes it really is better shit, but that's rare. I have driven a half hour out of my way to Oakland before just to buy harborside's strawberry cough @ $25 a gram. It was worth every penny. But that's the exception, not the rule. Most of the time the difference between a 65 dollar 8th and a 45-55 dollar 8th is purely cosmetic.

Whats even more whack is the spot I hit today mislabeled a strain as indica dominant when its really a sativa dominant. Dan what area did you have your stuff selling at a dispensary?

My stuff is usually in San Jose and Oakland, sometimes San Francisco. That particular story was about a club in San Jose, but that shit happens everywhere. Even the clubs highly concerned with accuracy most of the time have to take the vendors word for it in terms of product name/description.

Most clubs will switch the names on shit that isn't selling and reprice it. Vendors do the same thing to clubs. Notice that you rarely see critical mass or big bud in clubs? It's not because everyone suddenly stopped growing big bud, it's because vendors get less money for any bud called critical mass or big bud regardless of quality. So they just switch the name to some shit you've never heard of and no one knows the difference. We call all of this "the name game". Every club in California knows what that means.

 

[Dan Kone]

The biggest hypocrisy that I see is in the current and proposed high tax rate. Why is something used for medication being slapped with an excessive sin tax?

Because apparently jesus hates weed smokers (even though he looks like one). Personally I think jesus is being kind of a dick when it comes to smoking weed.

 

[SB Garlic]

Good post Dan, Ive only been goin to the clubs for a few weeks so ive only had 4 eighths from them. First time I got 8th of sour kush for $65 and 8th of tangerine diesel for $50. The sour kush tasted better for sure but didnt feel much stonier. Went back a few weeks later and they had no more tangerine diesel. Probly a fake name anyways.

 

[zhn0k]

dispensary owners can retire in 5 years as a multi-millionaire from the business.

i've seen it for myself.

sorry for my off-topicness.

 

[Dan Kone]

Good post Dan, Ive only been goin to the clubs for a few weeks so ive only had 4 eighths from them. First time I got 8th of sour kush for $65 and 8th of tangerine diesel for $50. The sour kush tasted better for sure but didnt feel much stonier. Went back a few weeks later and they had no more tangerine diesel. Probly a fake name anyways.

Sour kush is sour D x OG kush. There is no such thing as tangerine diesel as far as I know (I know my strains pretty well), that is most likely a vendor or club manager making up a new name.

If you want buds with a better taste just ask for organics. They generally taste better. Next time you go in there and are looking at buds try this, ignore pricing, bud color, bud size, and even strain names. Just try and find the buds that look like they have the most crystals on them.. Don't be rushed, look at as many strains as you need to, and you don't want to accept the bud tenders opinion as truth most of the time. If you do that, you'll be good.

 

[Dan Kone]

dispensary owners can retire in 5 years as a multi-millionaire from the business.

i've seen it for myself.

sorry for my off-topicness.

Yep. I know one who made a million dollars his first year when he was just breaking into the business.

 

[dudeface]

All I have to say is "Delta 9" collective... amazing place, very professional, beautiful cannabis room, secluded and free parking. max cap of 55 and it is amazing quality. Yeay to being a prop 215 patient.

 

[BIGDAVE]

Nice Post. Good info. Could you please elaborate on the creation of a second holding company. Does the holding company just charge the nonprofit and then keep the profit, so the non-profit is just that on paper and the holding company is a consultant to the non-profit?

Non profit organization just means you have to open a second for profit holding corporation to funnel your profits into.

They charge $65 an eight because people will pay $65 an 1/8. You'd be surprised. Most people who go into dispensaries will just go in having no idea how to assess quality and just order the most expensive thing on the menu.

I had one of my strains for sale at a dispensary for $50 an 1/8. It sat there for like a month and a half and no one was buying it. The dispensary owner changed the name of it and raised the price to $65 and it sold out and his customers were asking for more. lol

So to answer your question, shit is priced at $65 dollars an 1/8 because stupid people like it that way.



Ok. If you really no what to look for then you should have no problem finding quality medicine at a dispensary for around $45 an 1/8. I've spent a lot of time in the business so I know how the pricing works.

The difference between a $65 and a $45 dollar 1/8 usually has almost nothing to do with product strength what so ever. The differences are usually superficial.

If the buds are small instead of big, then they are almost never in the $60 dollar range. I frequently see really strong dank buds in the $45 dollar range for no other reason than the buds are smaller. I know one club that even separates the small buds from the big ones and charges half price for the same medicine from the same plant! Physical bud size has nothing to do with how effective the medicine is. If you want a better deal, look for strains with smaller buds.

Bud color is another big one. If a bud is purple or has unusual coloring, then it automatically jumps up $10-20 dollars in price. Purple has nothing to do with effectiveness.

There are plenty of great deals at dispensaries, you just have to know what you're looking for. Find small green buds that are covered in crystals instead of big purple buds and you'll usually get a great deal. If you're looking for buds that "look good" and are a great deal, well that really has nothing to do with getting reasonable priced medication.

Oddly enough, the last thing most customers of medical dispensaries look for is a high quantity of large foggy/amber crystals, which btw is the most important thing to look for.

 

[Dan Kone]

Nice Post. Good info. Could you please elaborate on the creation of a second holding company. Does the holding company just charge the nonprofit and then keep the profit, so the non-profit is just that on paper and the holding company is a consultant to the non-profit?

I'm just starting the process of forming mine right now (waiting on the paperwork from the secretary of state)so I haven't got a chance to work out all the details with my CPA and lawyer yet. But yes, that is correct. You don't call it a holding company, you call it a management/consulting company. Your holding company bills the non-profit for the amount of the surplus each year, usually broken up into separate payments for different services in order to not attract too much unwanted attention.

The holding company usually holds the property lease, bills, as well as buying supplies for the store. It charges for the management of those things.

 

[BIGDAVE]

I just wanted to say thanks and appreciate the reply. Anywhere I can go get good info on how the process of becoming a legal grower for a dispensory works? I know a guy who grows as part of a collective and he says that there are things he has to posting at his place of grow and a whole lot of other things necessary to be legal in case of a raid. He has been raided 3 times in four years and never has had anything confiscated or went to jail. he is very tight lipped about the process. Any place to go to find out more on how the process works? I am sure you would have to structure it right.

I'm just starting the process of forming mine right now (waiting on the paperwork from the secretary of state)so I haven't got a chance to work out all the details with my CPA and lawyer yet. But yes, that is correct. You don't call it a holding company, you call it a management/consulting company. Your holding company bills the non-profit for the amount of the surplus each year, usually broken up into separate payments for different services in order to not attract too much unwanted attention.

The holding company usually holds the property lease, bills, as well as buying supplies for the store. It charges for the management of those things.

 

[Dan Kone]

I just wanted to say thanks and appreciate the reply. Anywhere I can go get good info on how the process of becoming a legal grower for a dispensory works?

Well there is no process. Being a professional vendor is technically illegal, well at least it's a grey area. If you make a profit selling medicine to a club you are doing something illegal. It's just really hard to prove unless you admit it to the police.

You grow the shit and then take it to dispensaries until you find one who will buy it. It's also good to go to industry conventions (cannabis cups or hempcon type events) and bring a bunch of samples and smoke out club owners/buyers. If your shit is good, you'll meet the right people eventually. At least that's how I got started.

Dispensaries are supposed to either pay you on consignment or make you fill out a tax form. The idea of informing the government what I'm doing makes me uneasy so I always go to consignment clubs. Usually you're only selling to them on consignment at first, once they've dealt with you a while they usually just give you cash.

I know a guy who grows as part of a collective and he says that there are things he has to posting at his place of grow and a whole lot of other things necessary to be legal in case of a raid.

In my county I'm required to put up my doctors rec and have a looking door (for indoor) or locking gate/fence (for outdoor). That's pretty much it.

Also stacking more than 3 doctors rec's will usually get you raided by police. Some places stacking recs at all will. If you're going to stack rec's is good to operate as a collective. This is easy to do, you don't need to file any paperwork with the government to do this. Just copy a collective agreement, replace the collective name with whatever you want to call your collective, and then get the people who's recommendations you are using to sign it. This does not make any of them liable, they can claim you have no idea how you're providing them with medicine.

It's good to know what local police are busting people for. Doing searches in your local newspaper for medical marijuana and grow house is a good idea. Talking to a local lawyer about this who specializes in 215 cases is a better idea.

 

[fdd2blk]

Why is it collectives in so cal are priced like street vendors ? I thought there were compassionate non profit organisations dedicated to providing medicine but today I saw a collective in sd that was pricing eights at 65$ top shelf ...
some of us need the medicine , and at a more affordabe price .
when a doc can give you a perscription of viccoden (25+ pills ) for 5 $ with insurance , shouldnt a movement trying to gain weight offer a better medication at a more reasonable price ? I wont name the collective but god ...

that bottle of vicodin would cost $120 without the insurance. and it's a C grade drug on the list of those available. so you have to compare it to C grade buds. if you want A grade you should be poppin' OXY. and that shit's not cheap.

all the clubs i ever go to have a menu that ranges from 25 an eighth and up. don't want to pay 65? then don't.