“These data indicate that the legal, regulated cannabis market is displacing the underground marketplace,” NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said. “Over time, consumers are becoming more comfortable with and more reliant upon licensed retailers – who offer greater convenience, product quality, and safety.”
“Every day that Congress fails to act endangers the livelihood of these small businesses and their customers, puts local regulators and law enforcement at a disadvantage, and facilitates the activities of unlicensed operators and criminal organizations.”
“One of the greatest benchmarks of the success of legalization is the simple fact that public support for this policy change has consistently grown in the years since states began adopting it.”
“Illicit marijuana providers don’t ask for or check for ID, but licensed businesses most certainly do.”
“A robust, above-ground retail marijuana market is necessary in order to disrupt the unregulated marketplace and to assure that consumers have adequate access to lab-tested, high quality products at competitive prices.”
The report estimates, “States with roughly 20 to 40 legal regulated stores per 100,000 residents, in general, have captured 80 percent to 90 percent of all cannabis sales in the legal market.”
“Regulation works. Unregulated marijuana providers don’t ask for or check for ID, but licensed businesses most certainly do.”
“These moratoriums only serve to protect and prolong the illicit cannabis marketplace. Time and time again, we have seen that consumers prefer to obtain cannabis products from safe, licensed, above-ground retailers. But, absent access to such facilities, the illicit market will continue to fill this void.”