This article was originally published on Goldleaf and appears here with permission.
Summary
The most expensive weed in the United States is Cannabis Caviar, also known as Marijuana Caviar, Caviar Moon Rocks, or Caviar Gold. Cannabis Caviar sells for around $1400 per ounce. Other upmarket cannabis cultivars include Loud Dream (~$800/oz), Isla OG Canned Cannabis (~$800/oz), Oracle (~$800/oz), and White Fire OG (~$600/oz).
How Much Does Weed Cost in the United States?
The average price for a typical ounce of weed purchased at a dispensary varies dramatically across places with legal recreational cannabis. On the high end, in Washington D.C., you’re looking at spending approximately $500 for an ounce. On the low end, in Oregon, an ounce of weed tends to cost only about $185.
See also: What Happens If You Smoke Weed Everyday?
And, while we certainly don’t recommend this illegal route, the black market tends to offer significantly lower prices. One source states that the average price for a gram of cannabis at a dispensary is $9.99 per gram, whereas a gram of cannabis from the streets costs about $6.40 per gram. That means that an average ounce purchased illegally in the United States would probably cost you just around $180. Still, no amount of money saved is worth the possibility of imprisonment, so proceed accordingly.
What Are The Factors That Influence The Price of Weed?
The biggest factor that influences the price of legal weed in the United States is the fact that state governments license, regulate, and tax cannabis. Taxes on cannabis tend to be high—higher than beer, wine, or liquor, for point of reference—with the justification being that these funds are allocated towards financing social programs. On a related note, since cannabis is a new industry with a complicated set of legal and financial codes, dispensaries often hire accountants and sometimes attorneys as well. Naturally, like any other business, dispensaries must turn a profit in order to survive. And so, in order to deal with the myriad of expenses—rent, licenses, taxes, product costs, employee salaries, contractor salaries, etc.—dispensary owners have to sell their cannabis at somewhat inflated prices to remain in business.
Another factor that’s worth noting should be familiar to anyone who has taken an economics class: supply and demand. Oregon’s initially lax cannabis laws led to an abundance of licensed growers; the large yields they produced flooded the state’s market with enough cannabis to last six years. While this situation has since leveled off due to policy changes, Oregon remains the state with the lowest legal cannabis prices because of its abundant supply. Similarly, issues related to low supply, like environmental and agricultural challenges that can affect cannabis crops (wildfires, for example), have led to increases in the price of cannabis.
See also: Old Weed: What Happens To Marijuana After Five Years Of Storage?
Lastly, we can’t gloss over the fact that some cultivars and products are priced high because legalization has brought a wealth of advancements to the science of cannabis. The drive towards higher THC content, specialized portfolios of cannabinoids and terpenes, and other hallmarks of our present-day green revolution all contribute to the steep cost of some varieties of cannabis.
The Most Expensive Cannabis Cultivars In The United States
#5 - White Fire OG
Price: $600 per ounce
Average THC Content: 25%
Common Effects: Creativity, happiness, relaxation
Consider For: ADHD, depression, fatigue, nausea, pain relief, stress
White Fire OG is an indica-dominant hybrid of two other hybrid cultivars, Fire OG and The White. This cultivar was first bred by OG Raskal Genetics, and it is known for its thick trichomes, green nugs, and energetic, yet chill high.
#4 - Oracle
Price: $800 per ounce
Average THC Content: 1%
Common Effects: Focus, relaxation
Consider For: Anxiety, depression, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, lupus, migraines, nausea
This cultivar is one of the most controversial in the cannabis space, being known for both its high amount of CBD (8-14%) and baggage. It had been falsely claimed that Oracle has about 45% THC—despite testing at closer to 1%. Furthermore, California lab The Werc Shop discovered that Oracle had the same terpene profile as the far less costly ACDC cultivar. Still, if you are looking for a cultivar that won’t get you stoned, but will provide a lot of therapeutic relief because of its abundance of CBD, Oracle may be worth a try. But do your wallet a favor and purchase it as ACDC instead!
See also: How To Save Money On Weed: A Complete Guide
#3 - Isla OG Canned Cannabis
Price: $800 per ounce
Average THC Content: 25%
Common Effects: Creativity, relaxation
Consider For: Anxiety, depression, migraines
Are you fond of the finer things in life? If so, it’s hard to top the pedigree of this LA Island-produced cultivar. After all, rapper 2 Chainz and Dr. Dina (the real Nancy Botwin of Weeds fame) puffed away on this high-end cultivar during an episode of the rapper’s Most Expensivest Shit video series on GQ’s YouTube channel; fittingly, they rolled their Isla OG joint using 24-karat gold papers. One of the more unique aspects of Isla OG is that it is immediately placed into aluminum canisters to cure after being trimmed, then sold to consumers in those same canisters. It’s hard to beat that level of freshness!
#2 - Loud Dream
Price: $800 per ounce
Average THC Content: 16%
Common Effects: Arousal, focus, happiness, relaxation
Consider For: Anxiety, chronic pain, depression, eating disorders, inflammation, muscle spasms
Despite the fact that this hybrid is an indica-dominant cultivar, Loud Dream produces an energizing effect that makes it perfect for tackling work, making love, or just starting the day off right with a wake and bake session. However, you’ll still have those traditional stony indica effects that can balance out even the most Type A of cannabis enthusiasts. We strongly recommend this one!
#1 - Cannabis Caviar
Price: $1400 per ounce
Average THC Content: 32%
Common Effects: Happiness, hunger, relaxation
Consider For: Anxiety, depression, eating disorders, insomnia, nausea, pain relief
Many consider caviar the king of foods, and it is priced accordingly. And so goes it with Cannabis Caviar as well. It’s unclear who produced this cultivar. Its genetics, likewise, remain a mystery. However, few dispute the incredible nature of this cannabis. With buds covered in kief, Cannabis Caviar will leave you euphoric, sedated, and, unless your tolerance is really up there, asleep in short measure. We’re not saying break the bank if you have the chance to pick up some Cannabis Caviar, but, at the very least, this may provide the impetus to finally get your friends to pay back that money they owe!
The Best of Both Worlds
If you’re able to find even one of these cultivars, then consider yourself more fortunate than the majority of cannabis aficionados. However, unless you have more zeroes in your bank account than the average American, you’ll probably want to relegate these cultivars to just the occasional splurge.
And, if your state allows it, you may want to consider growing your own cannabis; you can reduce costs in the long term while also having control over what you’re growing.
