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.
“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.