boulder

[pfunk211]

it's "you're". i think i'd like to help you out.lets meet, im ur huckleberry!!!

ps very big words from a very small cat.....

ps im your huckleberry!!!!!!!

it's "your", dumbass.......

you ARE 12, aren't you?!

[palerider7777]

it's "your", dumbass.......

you ARE 12, aren't you?!

i'd like to help you really. let me know

[palerider7777]

it's "your", dumbass.......

you ARE 12, aren't you?!

im an idiot plz let me make it up to you i want to give you all my money to help you out so you can see the doctor.just let me know and i can have it ready.

[Slickyricky]

boulder here, welcome

[kodesh]

Hey all, I've been a patient for about 8 mos and have been to a number of dispensaries, and purchased my meds on the street a number of times.

Here are some of my observations and thoughts on pricing, please chime in, hopefully without flaming me and everyone else to death ;D

What is fair to charge?
I hate using street price as a guage, but really that should be the upper end for quality organic medication imo, until the medical market has time to fully mature and develop we don't have another yard stick. In my experience street price for good bud is about $300/oz, somtimes cheaper if it's a "good buddy" dealer or they are trying to move it fast. Sometimes more for something rare/super potent. I personally have no problem paying up to street price for medication if it's truly top quality meds and a strain that works for me is consistently available.

It takes some skill/effort/investment to grow quality meds and I don't begrudge the people who are sticking their necks out trying to make a business out of this their profits. However, I think the universal goal of patients, caregivers and dispensaries should be to lower the cost of quality medication and increase the variety and availability that caregivers can offer across the board. This will happen over time as the market grows and the laws continue to be reformed and improved.

Now this summer there seems to have been a shortage of good meds, at least in the dispensaries. I think this is largely due to the huge influx of new medical patients, which is a great thing. Unfortunately instead of maintaining a level/fair price for their existing patients, many dispensaries signed on more patients than they could really grow meds for, then relied on buying "wholesale" and then having to mark up the product to ridiculous amounts to maintain that nice comfy profit margin. I understand a business not wanting to turn people away, but imo the goal should be to allow patients the freedom to select their medication based on what works for them, not what they can afford. It may be an ideallistic goal, but I think one worth striving for.

Thoughts?

[dottoressaX]

@stickyricky-- hahaha-- yep!

To all:

I do have to say that I am 1000% backing palerider, but I'll tell you why without shouting. Prices vary across the country. For example, you get a much lower price for goods in oregon than in boulder. For at least the past 10 years, and before medical MJ became legal in Colorado, all I can remember is $50 per 3.5 grams if you are only buying 3.5 grams. NOW, there are exceptions. That is $50 (full retail/400oz) for an eighth of CHRONIC. If you are a regular customer, or have a cool source, you can get $45 /eighth. If you pay less on the street than that for an eighth of chronic in Boulder, you are either someones good friend, girlfriend, or you know the grower. Its $400(full price for an oz if you don't know the source), BUT $350 is USUALLY the deal if buying a full OZ of chronic. If you can possibly get $300 then you are either someones good friend, girlfriend, know the grower, or are buying mids or schwag and not chronic. As a local this has been the score as long as I remember. I could point to about a hundred people on any given day who would concur with me on this-- those of you getting super deals on CHRONIC are lucky
The other point is if you are buying LBS or QP's you get better deals, obviously.
Now, I feel for all medical users, but if this has been the going street price for about a decade, why should it suddenly drop because medical marijuana became legal? Its not like the market is even remotely close to saturated. Last i checked there has never been special pricing for the sick, unless an individual grower wants to be super cool and hook people up for a ridiculously low price or free. Just know that IS NOT customary, or normal here in Boulder. Last I checked, raids are still going on- lots of medical patients i notice- you can still lose EVERYTHING you own if you get busted growing over the measly 3 flowering plants they allow here. That risk merits every penny-- every single penny of the $350 you pay for an ounce. Im sorry but it does. True you medical patients CAN grow your own, and perhaps should if these prices are too high for you( a very reasonable option). Be forewarned- most anyone can grow weed, but it takes a LONG time and a LOT of learning, investment, errors, etc. to grow CHRONIC.

Anything less than $300 an oz. of CHRONIC is an insult to a desperate grower-- UNLESS the grower is selling more than an oz. at one time in which case there may be a further price drop for bulk buying.

obviously the more you buy, the better the price.

I would think, however, that since DISPENSARIES are selling such massive quantities, they might be able to offer an assistance program for restricted-income patients. That would help those with low income, and maintain a profitable business. Dispensary or not, I can ONLY imagine paying over $50 an eighth for only the most incredible unreal effective highest thc content cannabis available.--- Ive never had a smoke that was so much more unreal than what i had to justify that. On the flip side, a good dispensary is AWESOME-- cuttings, cakes, lolli's, so much variety etc- i can see how they justify the markup-- its like going into wonderland going into a good dispensary.

As for on the street in Boulder, Ive given you the score. Sorry if you dont like it, but it is VERY just, and growers deserve every penny from that $350/oz.

peace

[dottoressaX]

I should also say- welcome to the world of unregulated, half-illegal Cannabis-

Since the government can't seem to get their shit together and completely legalize and regulate Cannabis, it is therefore still regulated by the underground market, which, is what makes the rules right now, and likely will hold influence for a fair amount of time to come. Again I fully support low-income patient discounts at dispensaries, but this is the reality of the world we live in. Hell, I wish it was free. Too bad that doesn't make it so.

My problem isn't directly with Big Pharma, the DEA, local police, etc. MY problem is with all of US that we cant yet pass a ballot initiative outright legalizing this plant, state by state, until the federal gov't has no choice but to buckle. Despite the massive power of the institutionalized resistance(DEA, ONDCP, NIDA etc), the sheer masses of this country are, indeed, more powerful. We all can stop complaning as soon as WE change the laws. Be active and vocal and NOT JUST ON CANNABIS MESSAGE BOARDS where you preach to the choir. Restricted MMJ in colorado is a good first step, but there are many more to take, and only THEN will you see the price of your medicine dip.

Prescription or not, it is what it is and it costs what it costs, region by region. Welcome to Colorado Keep informing eachother and keep voting-
peace

[topjazzman]

Sounds like you are just getting high for fun.I thought we are here for medical marijuana talk and not street talk.I am very sick and medical marijuana makes my life a little easier.Caregivers should not be drug dealers.All of us if we do not grow we need to buy.I have been smoking for over 42 yrs.and see that most caregivers are just like the dealers in the past.There are a few very good caregivers out there.I know they have to do alot but remember they went into as to help people sick and if not for the sick people they would be unable to be as out in the open as they are.
peace

[dottoressaX]

For all you medical patients who are acting all pious because you have an ailment and a card, listen up. Whether you hold the card or not has no bearing on who chooses to self-medicate with cannabis. One person holds a card for an ailment, another person has the same ailment and uses the same medicine but without a card, and a third person does it because its relaxing and feels good. You are NO more legitimate to use your medicine in the Feds eyes than either the non card holder, or the recreational user. To them they are all 'addict' druggies and will be punished to the full extent of the law. You follow what I'm saying? YOU, dear card holder, are still considered a *criminal*, just like the guy on the street, and as such, you pay the same prices as 98% of the cannabis users in CO who don't hold cards. Sick or not you aren't special. You are still dealing in the black market which was in place with established prices long before your medical cannabis came on the scene. I want this to change as you do and I hope you find a friend who hooks you up on the cheap, but all this whining and moaning is just aggravating. If you cant afford the chronic, there are mids and then beasters- if dispensaries are too expensive, find a street source who is cool and may hook you up. If thats too expensive or not to your liking, grow your own. you might not be very good at it but at least you'll have a personal stash that in the not too long run will give you virtually free cannabis to medicate yourself into oblivion. if you've been smoking as long as you say you have, and are as poor as you are, perhaps this would be your best option. The other solution is to find other patients, pool your resources, and do a collective grow, combining your prescriptions and sharing the cost of the setup. The entire medical MJ community should be working together and doing this if they want ultra cheep cannabis. Beyond these solutions the problem is you.
BTW -*most* of the people who take the time and effort to learn the trade of growing cannabis at the chronic level are in it primarily because they love it, but secondly, OBVIOUSLY!, to make good $ out of it. That is why you are so lucky to find the smattering of people who do it for the good of the sick, but virtually everyone who provides you with your medicine is in it to make some money because there is money to be made. Has been since 1937-- you can thank your government for that. let that be more of an incentive to channel your frustration where it is better suited, at our elected officials and how they got there. Don't blame the dealers and don't be a damned hypocrite, calling one a caregiver and the other 'drug-dealer'. If they are producing cannabis for people to self medicate, 'script or not, they are the same people. We are all users for hundreds of reasons. None of us are inherent criminals for this. The problem is the law, so..

again, if you want the prices to drop, get out and start educating non smokers and prohibitionists while not coming off as an incoherent imbicile in the process, and vote in the right people to get this legalized for once and for all.
Until then you are still playing in the black market, and the black market set the rules a long time ago. The system hasn't changed itself because you came on the scene with ailments and a card.
Take my advice above, I wish you the best and shimmering trichome blasted buds as white a drift of snow for as little cost as possible. forgive the tough love:thumbsup:

[TheStrainMan]

It seems like there's some confusion here between a CARE-giver and a dispensary. Care-givers do not become Dispensaries in order to care for patients or to philanthropically give away a valuable commodity...haven't you noticed it's a gold rush out here! Prices are what they are because of supply and demand; and people are lining up every day to vote with their wallets that dispensary prices are fine. We all have a choice where to spend out money and we can debate on price until the end of time, but if folks keep buying, prices will only go up. Don't get pissed off. Get involved and find a real CARE-giver or grow your own. The market will always take care of itself.

The Strain Man