Criticizing aspects of legal weed isn’t elitist anymore — more than half of the country’s population has access to recreational marijuana — and it’s time for cannabis business owners and overlords to start thinking about the consumer again. Most of us are not brainless potheads in search of the cheapest deal or highest THC numbers, yet that’s usually what we’re sold at dispensaries. Respectable production practices, honest branding and homages to history would be nice, though.
To make sure Colorado’s cannabis reputation stays fit and proper, here are five resolutions for growers, extractors, dispensaries and lawmakers to consider in 2023:
More weed for the middle class
Crashing marijuana prices have created a sustained race to the bottom, and that has severely affected the quality of dispensary flower. Motivation to cultivate good cannabis might be harder to come by when growers are barely breaking even on pounds, but that doesn’t mean consumers should accept dry and tasteless product, either. We need something between a $60 ounce of mystery meat and a $200 half-ounce from name brands. While there is still the occasional dispensary offering good in-house herb at lower prices, respectable internal grows seem a dying art in Colorado, as the majority of businesses are bought out or try to scale.
Cheaper rosin
If we’re going to have…