Due to the laws of supply and demand it can be assumed that the initial months of the Missouri Medical Marijuana Program roll-out will include a limited supply of medical cannabis being sold at very high prices. I’d wager that ounces will easily be found in excess of $400 for medium grade cannabis. This is the case in Oklahoma, after all – which boasts a very large number of cultivators!
Given that the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) is sticking to their guns and limiting the program to 60 cultivation facilities we can almost bet on the fact that prices will remain artificially high long into the future. Ever wonder why the multi-state cannabis operators aren’t in Oklahoma but have come to Missouri in droves? This is why – profits. Not just profits off consumerism, but profits extracted from the shallow pockets of sick people. Gross.
I had so badly held out hope that DHSS would grant far more than 60 paltry licenses for cultivation, especially since the downfall of the MU Market Study. None-the-less, this is hardly an excuse since DHSS leadership is on record as publicly expressing doubt regarding that fateful study. I denounced this study soon after it was published and patient uptake numbers remain within 1% of my monthly projections since patient licenses began to be granted on June 28, 2019. So, there clearly seems to be no excuse for such a limitation other than, “they may.”
Oklahoma has more than 5,000 cultivators as of January 2, 2020 – yet their prices remain somewhat high? Let’s be fair though, the market is still young there and experts agree that by sometime in mid-2021 the prices in Oklahoma will stabilize somewhere around $150 per ounce. C’mon, DHSS. Just take a minute to look at what is going on in the states around us!
Now, wouldn’t that be nice? At $150/ounce I can afford a sufficient amount of medicine and facilities can afford to do business. Even a patient, on a fixed income of $800/month, may be able to purchase just enough to get some relief at those prices. Not at $400+ per ounce! They might be able to afford just enough to get a few good nights of sleep, but that’s it. I guess this doesn’t bode well for folks who can’t cultivate at home and can’t find a caregiver.
What happened to “patient access” promised in the constitution? If feels like the only promise holding up is the promise to make piles of money by a lucky few.
Wake up, DHSS!
Sincerely,
— The Lit Farmer —
NOTE: Since the publishing of this article it has been confirmed by Oklahoma residents that they are already seeing prices at or below $150/oz. They also said it’s ok to be jealous.
