34 Sept 26th-Oct 2nd, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Not So Cheap Want a weed bargain? Try these nearby states before Arizona. BY MORGAN FISCHER A rizona smokers are paying less than the nationwide average for an ounce of weed. But pot is cheaper in the neighbors of the Grand Canyon State. California weed retailer Pacific Stone analyzed user-submitted data on PriceofWeed.com to iden- tify the states where stoners were getting the best deals. According to its ranking, Arizona has the 13th-cheapest weed in the United States. Arizona consumers pay an average of $265 for an ounce of weed. To find cheaper weed, though, you might not have to change time zones. Oregon, the first state to decriminalize cannabis more than 50 years ago in 1973, has the cheapest pot in the country, with consumers paying an average of $199 for an ounce of flower. That’s significantly lower than the nationwide average of $290 — essentially a 46% discount. Washington, which fully legalized cannabis more than a decade ago, has the second-cheapest weed at $215 an ounce, followed by Colorado, California, Nevada and New Mexico, with prices ranging from $221 to $256 an ounce on average. Even Utah, where only medicinal marijuana is legal, ranks above Arizona. Other Western states that are less known for their weed culture top Arizona. Montana and Idaho are listed as the seventh- and eighth-cheapest states for marijuana, despite both recreational and medicinal pot being fully illegal in the latter. Arizonans still get a good deal, though. Smokers here pay roughly 9% less than the average American does for weed. Dedicated smokers who purchase one ounce per month could spend about 6% of their monthly disposable income on pot, based on 2022 disposable income levels in the state reported by Statista. Data from PriceofWeed.com is submitted in a scouts-honor-like system by consumers who report their recent purchases and classify the product as high, medium or low quality. Pacific Stone’s ranking, which took into account more than 383,000 of these entries, is based on the average price of each of these catego- ries. Arizona’s average for an ounce of high-quality weed is $296 including tax, which is 7.5% lower than the nationwide average of $320. However, many popular local dispensa- ries boast prices that are significantly lower per ounce than the state’s PriceofWeed.com average. For example, Arizona smokers can purchase an ounce from the brand Find at Curaleaf for $90. That’s approximately a whopping 78% cheaper than the state’s average. Products from Sol Flower show similar, if not slightly higher, numbers. Consumers can purchase an ounce from brands Wizard Trees or Connected Cannabis for $230 or $240, respectively. Smokers also can go for the cheaper, likely less quality options. An ounce from the brand Uncle X can be bought for $70 at Sol Flower. Those prices are before accounting for the state’s 16% tax on recreational mari- juana sales or its 6% tax on medical mari- juana purchases. Here are the top 15 states with the cheapest weed on Pacific Stone’s list: 1. Oregon — $199 per ounce 2. Washington — $215 3. Colorado — $221 4. California — $232 5. Nevada — $252 6. New Mexico — $256 7. Montana — $257 8. Idaho — $259 9. Mississippi — $259 10. Maine — $260 11. Utah — $262 12. Florida — $263 13. Arizona — $265 14. Kentucky — $271 15. Georgia — $276 | CANNABIS | Arizona has the 13th-cheapest weed in the country, according to a new ranking. (Courtesy of Manish Panghal/Unsplash) FRI 9/27 SAT 9/28 SUN 9/29 THU 9/26 EARLY SHOW ARIZONA BLUES SHOWDOWN DOORS: 12:00PM | SHOW: 12:30PM LATE SHOW AUSTIN B. SWEENEY DREW COOPER, THE COLE TRAINS, J.D. GRAHAM, KEVIN SUGGDOORS: DOORS: 5:00PM | SHOW: 5:30PM THE PUBES 20TH ANNIVERSARY & VINYL RELEASE SHOW CAROL PACEY & THE HONEY SHAKERS, SNAILMATE, SCORPION VS TARANTULA, DOUGLAS PRESTON DOORS: 6:30PM| SHOW: 7:00PM DESERT UNDERTONES THE STILLNITES, THE REZTONES DOORS: 6:30PM / SHOW: 7:00PM BOB CORRITORE’S ALL STAR BIRTHDAY BLUES BASH! MANY, MANY SPECIAL GUESTS DOORS: 7:00PM | SHOW: 8:00PM
