Next week is good for several pot-related events around the country. Those on the east coast will be watching the first fully-licensed stores open up in Massachusetts. Their program is very similar to the western states, but it took them a while to get there due to some foot-dragging by the state. I’m skeptical about how many people want to buy Massachusetts weed, but they should do well initially serving the surrounding illegal states.
California’s rules kick in on the 1st. From January, those with state licenses have been doing things as they please, as they awaited the official rules to take affect. Specifically, rules that take affect on the 1st involve testing, packaging, labels, and distribution. All of which are extremely disrupting of the current system. Any weed still hanging around on the 1st will have to be destroyed, or, more realistically, sent out of state.
The testing step will be a major bottleneck at first, then the distribution system will become a problem. (My predictions). I’m particularly interested by their distribution system because no other state has this working. Nevada does, but it suffered from lack of interest from day one. California’s plan seems to require a particular THC molecule to go through a distributor from 2 to 6 times before a consumer purchases it. I’ll be watching this system over the next year to try to understand what it does.
There will be shortages in California as everyone gears up. Meanwhile, 95% of the CA output will be exported to other states as it always has…