Report: 90% of Virginia Medical Cannabis Patients Obtain Products Outside of Legal Market

The price of medical cannabis in Virginia is “categorically higher” than prices in other states, which has resulted in 90% of the state’s patients purchasing products from outside the state’s medical cannabis market, according to a Cannabis Public Policy Consulting (CPPC) report authored at the request of the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority.

The report, which surveyed 1,827 cannabis consumers in Virginia, 476 of whom are registered medical cannabis patients, found patients on average spent $19 per gram for flower; however, publicly available price data from the state dispensaries suggests prices are about $14 per gram. Comparatively, CPPC found the average price per gram in Washington, D.C. was $8.73 per gram and a $9.27 average per gram price in Maryland. The CPPC found that 12% of Virginia medical cannabis patients traveled to D.C. or Maryland to obtain medical cannabis products.

The firm also found that about 57% of Virginia medical cannabis patients grew their own cannabis and that 65.2% of patients obtained cannabis from friends or family.

The report suggests that the high prices of medical cannabis in Virginia “are likely necessary for Pharmaceutical Processors to remain solvent given the current market and policy conditions and are unlikely to indicate an effort to intentionally overcharge medical patients.” The report suggests that Virginia medical cannabis patients are obtaining 76.4% of their cannabis grams from sources outside of the state’s regulated market.