Statistics Canada’s 2019 first-quarter crowd-sourced cannabis prices survey found legally purchased pot is expensive.
Nationally, the average is 56.8 per cent higher than buying pot illegally.
Jenna Brant is a medical marijuana user.
She was surprised at the prices at the two new cannabis stores that opened in Kingston this month.
“I only pay $7, $8 a gram. So to come here and it be $14 for one gram that’s crazy.”
Nick Pateras is the V.P. of Strategy at Lift & Co. and says legal marijuana sellers like his company have expenses the black market doesn’t.
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“For example, having products tested, having it adhere to certain quality standards, quality control standards,” he said.
A shortage of legal cannabis is also affecting prices as well, says Pateras.
Until that correction occurs, Brant says she’ll continue to buy elsewhere.
Statistics Canada’s survey makes a key point about analyzing data in the report highlighting the number of responses in some parts of the country is small and there may be statistical bias.