One ounce of weed will cost between $140 and $180 Canadian dollars as a general guideline. This amount will vary depending on the quality of the strain and the individual retailer. The general rule to this is the higher quality the strain, the more that one ounce of weed will cost.
If you want to maximize value, you can always buy in bigger quantity and go for 16 ounces, or 1 pound of weed. But, how much will that set you back? A pound of weed in Canada tends to cost anywhere between $2,500 and $3,000, again depending on the quality of the strain and the availability.
Of course, one of the major benefits for the consumer is that marijuana is now part of a market economy. As such, the price of marijuana will now be set by supply and demand, as well as competition. So, while the above guideline is a sound suggestion about what you should expect to pay, it may be more or less than that.
How Much Weed is One Ounce of Weed?
With marijuana for sale in Canada, the smallest singular unit you can now buy is one gram, followed by 3.3 grams which is an eighth of an ounce. The next quantity you can buy is the 2 eights that make up a quarter-ounce, or the 2 quarters that constitute a half ounce. The largest standard purchase unit for marijuana is one ounce, which is the always the best value!
Asking how much an ounce of weed costs is going to be is a common question from here on out, so let’s tackle it here.
Pricing Factors
The Sativa cannabis strain tends to be more expensive when purchased in any quantity because of two reasons:
- It’s a more popular strain, and particularly so for recreational users
- The Sativa plant generally does not produce the same volume of bud as the Indica plant
The reason for the volume difference is that Sativa plants tend to grow tall and slim, while Indicas are short and bushy. This means that Indica strains have a lot more buds, which means volume. Indica plants are also hardier and are easier to grow in different environments. Because of this, Indicas typically produce a more consistent yield.
Another factor that can come into play with the price of marijuana is whether the bud is a ‘finished product’. Now that marijuana is available for a standard retail market, it is likely that all product sold will be a finished product. What this means is that the marijuana will be thoroughly dried and – more importantly – cured. Curing is very important to allow the weed to achieve its greatest potency.
Before legalization, it wasn’t uncommon to be able to buy ‘unfinished’ product for a lower price per unit. But as mentioned above, unfinished marijuana is not yet dried and / or cured. While the cost advantage is clear, the drawback to this is that you must dry and / or cure the product yourself being enjoying it.
It is now unlikely that licensed retailers will sell unfinished product. But, you may still find some retailers that will sell unfinished product at a lower price.
Purchasing Patterns in Canada
According to publishings from the Federal Government’s Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, the price of cannabis in Canada varies by region, quality, and quantity. Not surprisingly, these findings are in line with our general consensus above. Their statistics also show a number of other buying prerogatives that represent the preferences of your average marijuana buyer in Canada. And ones that should carry over into the legalization period we are in now:
- The most common quantity for buyers is 14.2 grams, which is 1 half ounce
- The majority (over 90%) of purchases of marijuana are medium to high quality
Other noteworthy findings included:
- Buyers paying average prices for marijuana in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia have a ‘significant and positive relationship with quality. Higher quality cannabis commands higher prices in these regional markets.
- Prices tend to be lower in Provinces associated with higher cannabis production. Consequently, they tend to be higher in those where the cannabis is not produced locally.
- Statistics and trends state that the prices for cannabis are decreasing in Canada. This trend will almost certainly pick up even more traction now that legalization is in place.
- The average THC content for marijuana purchased in Canada is 15.24%. And there is reason to believe there is significant heterogeneity within THC across cannabis strains.
We’ll wrap it up today with a new reality some of you may not have thought about. When paying for your cannabis in Canada, you’ll now be able to do it with your credit card! I don’t know about you, but for me the first time I tap my card at a pot shop is going to be a very watershed moment in really grasping the reality of the new legality of recreational marijuana.
