Cannabis tax revenue in Massachusetts is performing better than projected, over four years into the state’s adult-use market. According to the most recently available data, Massachusetts reported collecting $74.2 million in marijuana excise taxes—much more than the $51.3 million in alcohol excise taxes that were collected.
Alcohol sales continue the downward trend that began two decades ago, according to data collected by Gallup polling, despite a temporary sharp uptick in alcohol sales amid COVID. Analysts have wondered if there is a correlation between cannabis reform and alcohol sales.
The trends seen in Massachusetts are no different. Fortune reports that alcohol excise taxes imposed on each gallon of alcohol produced also remained flat over the last five years, at $0.55 per gallon of wine, and $4.05 per gallon of hard alcohol.
Massachusetts collected over $112 million in adult-use cannabis sales excise tax revenue in 2021—206 percent higher than projected—according to a Monthly Public Meeting presentation from data from the state’s Cannabis Control Commission.
“This number also underscores the entire agency’s tireless efforts, particularly those of our hardworking staff, to thoughtfully regulate a safe, accessible, and effective adult-use marketplace that keeps critical tenets of our mission—public health, public safety, and equity, among others—front of mind,” Commission Executive Director Shawn Collins said in a statement on January 25.
The state charges an excise tax of 10.75 percent on the projected retail price of recreational cannabis in addition to a 6.25 percent state sales tax, plus a local tax of up to three percent.
Cannabis sales are doing much better than anticipated, despite all of the hiccups along the way such as COVID. But analysts say the surge in cannabis sales in Massachusetts comes at no surprise.
Vivien Azer, a Wall Street research analyst and managing director at Cowen who covers the emerging cannabis sector told local news station WCBV that when states convert from medical cannabis to adult-use, it typically leads to a doubling or even tripling of revenues “almost overnight.”
Kicking off recreational cannabis sales in any state is something of a spectacle to be celebrated.
Mikayla Bell, community outreach manager for NETA, one of the largest cannabis retailers in the state. “I think that people are looking for an alternative to make them feel better,” Bell told WCBV. “Oftentimes people are turning to alcohol for relief. And now they found another product with without the hangover, without the calories.”
During the first year of cannabis sales, from November 2018 through 2019, 33 cannabis retailers generated $393.7 million in gross sales. Sales for all of the 2019 calendar year reached $444.9 million.
In 2020, 91 adult-use cannabis retailers tallied $702 million in gross sales, despite being closed for two months due to the pandemic.
Alcohol taxes in Massachusetts could soon see a hike as well. State Representative Kay Khan filed a bill to double the excise taxes on beer, wine and liquor with H 2973. The state spends $2.6 billion each year to combat alcoholism and addiction, and should consider making the industry pay for that themselves.
Year 2021 is coming to an end, and we have collected the best year-end discounts for you. As part of ‘THC WEEKLY’ New-Year’s deals, all Delta-8, HHC, THC-P, THC-O, THC-V, Delta-10 and even Delta-9 THC are now offered with huge discounts. This is your opportunity to stock-up on premium products.
Our famous New Year’s deals are your best opportunity to stock-up on top-selling products, as they are offered way below their regular price. Whether they are psychoactive products, such as Delta 8, Delta 9 THC, THC-O and HHC vape carts, non-psychoactive, such as CBD, CBG and CBN softgels, or any other product in between, they are currently on sale and you can get them easily online, without leaving the safety of your home.
This is your final chance to stock-up on premium products, as starting next week, prices are back to normal. Take advantage of the New Year’s deals and get yourself the products you always wanted.
As always, the best New Year’s deals are first offered to the subscribers of the THC Weekly newsletter, so make sure to SUBSCRIBE below.
Our ‘Best Choice’ award goes to ‘Binoid Delta 8 Premium Vape Cartridges‘, offering you a combination of quality, variety and price. Upon our request, they have created a special bundle for our readers, with an additional 25% discount.
If you want to experience the full range of Delta 8 THC, you should choose the special bundle, currently sold with an additional 25% discount, when using code ‘HOLIDAY25‘.
The 12-pack bundle includes the following flavors: Hybrid (Blue Dream, Gelato), Indica (Grand Daddy Purp, Mango Kush) and Sativa (Lemon Haze, Strawberry Lemonade) + 2 extra vapes, as a special bonus.
MUST HAVE PRODUCT: The Blue-Dream hybrid Delta 8 THC vape cart is amazing. If you want to relax, but at the same time, feel great and energetic, this is the one for you. Whatever you do, don’t leave without it (but don’t let that stop you from choosing one of the bundles, as all carts are very good and you get them for a great price).
INSTRUCTIONS: Choose the 6-pack or the 12-pack bundle and use coupon code HOLIDAY25 for the additional 25% discount. With the extra 2 bonus cartridges, you will only pay $13/cart, an amazing price for such a high-quality product.
THC-P (AKA Tetrahydrocannabiphorol or THCP) is a new super-potent cannabinoid that is considered to be stronger than both THC-O, Delta 8, Delta 10 and even Delta-9 THC. Each of the new THC-P vape cartridges contains premium THCP distillate, Delta 8 THC and terpenes.
Both the 4 pack and the 8 pack bundles feature the following strains: Aurora (Indica), Trainwreck (Sativa), Fruit Loops (Hybrid), & God’s Gift (Indica).
TIP: Start low and grow slow as this is one strong cannabinoid… Choose one of the bundles and experience the differences between Sativa, Indica and Hybrid.
INSTRUCTIONS: Choose the 6-pack or the 12-pack bundle and use coupon code HOLIDAY25 for the additional 25% discount.
With 10 mg of hemp-derived Delta-9 THC, and 20 gummies per pack (200mg total), the new Sweet Slices Delta 9 Gummies is a great choice for anyone looking to buy Delta 9 products. Currently, using the Testers 15% discount code, you can get the whole box for $17, which is 85 cents per gummy, an amazing price for this product.
TIP: Get an additional 15% discount using the TESTERS coupon code.
The Vegan Delta 9 Gummies are another top-selling Delta 9 product. With 10 mg of hemp-derived Delta-9 THC it is a great choice for anyone looking to buy Delta 9 THC products online. Each pack contains 10 of these small babies, total 100mg THC.
Stocking-up opportunity: Take $5 off the price with the GUMMY5 coupon code. This great offer will allow you to get Delta-9 THC gummies for as-low-as $1/gummy! A great price for Delta-9 THC gummies, finally available online.
New Year’s Deals – $5 off with the GUMMY5 coupon code)
Choose between: Guavaberry Fruit, Blueberry Citrus and Kiwi Mixer.
Have you tried the new THC-O edibles? The Long-awaited THCO gummies have arrived and they are so strong! Be the first to try them and see for yourself why the internet is already obsessed with THC-O.
THC-O is a new potent cannabinoid. Some even believe it to be stronger than regulat THC (delta-9 thc) and slightly psychedelic, as in some cases people report it to produce a mild spiritual experience. With 25mg of THC-O in each gummy, 500mg total, the Mixed THC Gummies is a prefect choice for anyone looking to try this new cannabinoid.
Effects: THCO might produce a strong uplifting and happy feeling with a calming body sensation.
TIP: Choose the 3 pack or the 6 pack and get an additional 25% discount using the HOLIDAY25 coupon code.
If you want an effective product, try the Entourage Hybrid 40 mg Mini Fruit Slices, featuring both HHC, Delta-8 THC, THC-O, CBN, CBD and CBG in one well-balanced product. Using this product you can expect to feel euphoric, focused, relaxed but at the same time feel a little energetic and experience body buzz.
TIP: Choose 1 LB (90 ct) and use the cbdflowers coupon code for an additional 20% discount. This will take the price down to as-low-as $80/lb, an amazing price for this popular product.
Another great way to experience this new high-potency cannabinoid, is by using a THCP tincture and getting full control of the dosage. As THCP is considered to be one of the strongest cannabinoids, using a tincture will allow you to start low and grow slow, which is the right way to handle new products.
Currently, as part of our ongoing promotion, you can get a 25% discount on all bundles, using the HOLIDAY25 coupon code. Take advantage of this great stocking-up opportunity and buy premium THCP tinctures (1000mg) for as-low-as $25/bottle, a unique price for this hard-to-find product.
TIP: Start low and grow slow as this is one strong product…
Another great product is the new Entourage Get Crispy Bar, infused with 100 mg of the same entourage cannabinoid blend! As the product contains 100 mg a piece you can share it, as there are 2 to 4 servings per snack.
Choose between Indica, Hybrid and Sativa.
Don’t forget to use the cbdflowers coupon code for an additional 20% discount. This will take the price down to only $8/Treat, a very good price for this effective product.
Want to try high-quality HHC products? Be the first to try the new HHC vapes and edibles, currently offered as part of a BOGO deal (Buy One Get One free).
Choose between Sure Diesel, Purple Punch, Zkittlez, Wedding Cake and 8 more flavors of HHC vape carts, both Indica, Hybrid and Sativa.
Don’t forget to use the BOGOX2 coupon code at checkout.
The new ‘CBN Saver Bundle‘ offers us a great way to experience the relaxing benefits of CBN, heavily discounted for the holiday. CBN has been known for it’s great night time relief and it is usually taken right before going to bed.
The bundle iscludes the following items: 600mg CBN Tincture, 100mg CBN Gummies, and CBD+CBN Softgel pack. If you have never tried CBN before, now it’s your chance to do it, as all products are on sale!
Want to save more? Get an additional 15% discount, using our ‘THC WEEKLY‘ coupon code.
Bundle up these great Delta 8 THC wax dabs and save big. Use ‘HOLIDAY25’ coupon code and the get the 12-pack for a great price. In spirit of 420, the 12-pack comes with an extra 2 dab concentrates FREE!
INSTRUCTIONS: Use the ‘HOLIDAY25′ coupon at checkout for an additional 25% discount. With the extra 2 bonus wax dabs, you will only pay $13/dab, a great price for this product.
Our New Year’s Deals will continue to be updated regulary, so keep returning here, or SUBSCRIBE to the THC Weekly newsletter, as more hemp-derived THC deals are added on a weekly basis
Affiliate disclaimer: We work hard to find and verify the best products, so we may include affiliate links to support the maintenance and development of this site.
Five years into legal adult-use cannabis sales in California, and the industry is at “a breaking point.” Top cannabis industry insiders sounded the alarm as the industry teeters towards implosion amid impossible tax rates and other serious issues.
In a letter dated December 17, over two dozen cannabis executives warned California Governor Gavin Newsom, President pro Tempore Toni Atkins and Speaker Anthony Rendon that the state’s cannabis industry is on the verge of collapse.
According to the letter, only major tax cuts and a rapid increase of retail operations can save the industry. Two-thirds of California cities lack dispensaries, since local governments authorize sales and production.
California is set to raise the cannabis cultivation tax next month—despite the Legislative Analyst Office estimating that the state will have a budget surplus of $31 billion next year. On January 1, 2022, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) will raise the state’s cannabis cultivation tax for dry-weight flower by almost five percent, raising it to a whopping $161 per pound, and over $10 per ounce. It’s this tax that is exceptionally difficult for farmers who cannot even break even. This was the reason California NORML sent out a warning about the tax hike last month.
The letter provides a solution for some of the immediate problems. Specifically, the industry leaders asked for three things that need to change in order for California’s legal cannabis industry to survive: an immediate lifting of the cultivation tax, a three-year holiday from the excise tax and an expansion of retail shops throughout much of the state.
“It is critical to recognize that an unwillingness to effectively legislate, implement, and oversee a functional regulated cannabis industry has brought us to our knees,” the letter reads. “The California cannabis system is a nation-wide mockery; a public policy lesson in what not to do. Despite decades of persecution by the government, we have been willing and adaptable partners in the struggle to regulate cannabis. We have asked tirelessly for change, with countless appeals to lawmakers that have gone unheard. We have collectively reached a point of intolerable tension, and we will no longer support a system that perpetuates a failed and regressive War on Drugs.”
The current system “is rigged for all to fail,” they wrote.
High tax rates are pushing consumers back into the black market, where the tax-free cannabis is cheaper. “The opportunity to create a robust legal market has been squandered as a result of excessive taxation,” the letter said. “Seventy-five percent of cannabis in California is consumed in the illicit market and is untested and unsafe.” Some local governments took the issue into their own hands. San Francisco Board of Supervisors, for instance, unanimously approved a measure to temporarily suspend the city’s Cannabis Business Tax to fight illicit pot sales.
Once the higher cultivation tax rolls in, “most consumers are going to take off,” Darren Story of Strong Agronomy said during a conference call on December 17 with journalists and members of the media. Organizers are preparing for a January 2022 Boston Tea Party-inspired rally on the Capitol Steps in Sacramento to protest tax rates and other industry issues. “Forget the Boston Tea Party. Here comes the California Weed Tax Revolt,” read the headline of a The San Francisco Chronicle. The leaders represent nearly every sector of California’s cannabis industry.
The full list of industry leaders who signed the letter is listed below:
Alec Dixon, Co-founder of SC Labs
Amy Jenkins, President of Precision Advocacy
Andrew DeAngelo, Co-founder of Harborside, California CannabisIndustry Association, Last Prisoner Project
Conrad Gregory, President of CCIA Executive Board
Dale Gieringer, California NORML Director
Darren Story, Founder of Strong Agronomy
David Hua, CEO and Founder of Meadow
Dennis Hunter, Founder of CannaCraft
Erich Pearson, Founder of SPARC farm and dispensaries
Ingrid Tsong, Independent Farmer and Co-founder of Beija Flor Farms
Jacob Heimark, CEO and Co-founder of Plus Products
James Kim, CEO and Co-founder of STIIIZY
Jamie Warm, Co-CEO of Henry’s Original
Jeff Gray, CEO of SC Labs
Jerred Kiloh, Owner of Higher Path dispensary and President of the United Cannabis Business Association trade group
Jigar Patel, Co-CEO, NorCal Cannabis Company
John De Friel, CEO and Co-founder of Raw Garden
Joshua Keats, Founder and Co-CEO of Henry’s Original
Karim Webb, CEO 4thMVMT
Kristi Palmer, Co-founder of KIVA Confections
Lindsay Robinson, Executive Director of California Cannabis Industry Association
Michael Ray, Founder and CRO, Bloom Farms
Michael Zumpano, CEO of Versagenix
Flavia Cassani, Co-founder of Flow Cannabis Co.
Mikey Steinmetz, Co-founder of Flow Cannabis Co.
Nara Dahlbacka, Partner The Milo Group
Ray Landgraf, Founder and CEO of Island Cannabis Co.
Steve DeAngelo, Cannabis Rights Activist, Chairman Emeritus of Harborside Inc.
Vince C. Ning, Founder and Co-CEO of Nabis
Newsom spokeswoman Erin Mellon responded to the letter, and said in a statement that the governor supports cannabis tax reform and recognizes the current problems, while expanding enforcement against illegal sales and production. “It’s clear that the current tax construct is presenting unintended but serious challenges. Any tax-reform effort in this space will require action from two-thirds of the Legislature and the Governor is open to working with them on a solution,” Mellon said.
The letter ensures that state leaders understand the sense of urgency and the scope of the problem. “The solution to these issues and the possibility of saving this industry lies in your hands,” they wrote in the letter.
These headlines are brought to you by Agilent, a Fortune 500 company known for providing top-notch testing solutions to cannabis and hemp testing labs worldwide. Are you considering testing your cannabis in-house for potency? Agilent is giving away a FREE 1260 HPLC system for one year! If you are a Cultivator, processor, or cannabis testing lab you may qualify for this giveaway. Open up bitly.com/cannabis-contest to answer a few quick questions to enter to win!
Check out our other projects: • Marijuana Today— Our flagship title, a weekly podcast examining the world of marijuana business and activism with some of the smartest people in the industry and movement. • Marijuana Media Connect— A service that connects industry insiders in the legal marijuana industry with journalists, bloggers, and writers in need of expert sources for their stories.
These headlines are brought to you by Agilent, a Fortune 500 company known for providing top-notch testing solutions to cannabis and hemp testing labs worldwide. Are you considering testing your cannabis in-house for potency? Agilent is giving away a FREE 1260 HPLC system for one year! If you are a Cultivator, processor, or cannabis testing lab you may qualify for this giveaway. Open up bitly.com/cannabis-contest to answer a few quick questions to enter to win!
Check out our other projects: • Marijuana Today— Our flagship title, a weekly podcast examining the world of marijuana business and activism with some of the smartest people in the industry and movement. • Marijuana Media Connect— A service that connects industry insiders in the legal marijuana industry with journalists, bloggers, and writers in need of expert sources for their stories.
These headlines are brought to you by Agilent, a Fortune 500 company known for providing top-notch testing solutions to cannabis and hemp testing labs worldwide. Are you considering testing your cannabis in-house for potency? Agilent is giving away a FREE 1260 HPLC system for one year! If you are a Cultivator, processor, or cannabis testing lab you may qualify for this giveaway. Open up bitly.com/cannabis-contest to answer a few quick questions to enter to win!
Check out our other projects: • Marijuana Today— Our flagship title, a weekly podcast examining the world of marijuana business and activism with some of the smartest people in the industry and movement. • Marijuana Media Connect— A service that connects industry insiders in the legal marijuana industry with journalists, bloggers, and writers in need of expert sources for their stories.
These headlines are brought to you by Atlantic Farms, a Maine-based multistate cannabis business with operations in Maine and Massachusetts. Atlantic Farms is looking for people to help it grow and evolve as investors. Open up TheAtlanticFarms.com for more on the company and email info@theatlanticfarms.com to learn about investment opportunities.
Check out our other projects: • Marijuana Today— Our flagship title, a weekly podcast examining the world of marijuana business and activism with some of the smartest people in the industry and movement. • Marijuana Media Connect— A service that connects industry insiders in the legal marijuana industry with journalists, bloggers, and writers in need of expert sources for their stories.
Check out our other projects: • Marijuana Today— Our flagship title, a weekly podcast examining the world of marijuana business and activism with some of the smartest people in the industry and movement. • Marijuana Media Connect— A service that connects industry insiders in the legal marijuana industry with journalists, bloggers, and writers in need of expert sources for their stories.
Check out our other projects: • Marijuana Today— Our flagship title, a weekly podcast examining the world of marijuana business and activism with some of the smartest people in the industry and movement. • Marijuana Media Connect— A service that connects industry insiders in the legal marijuana industry with journalists, bloggers, and writers in need of expert sources for their stories.
These headlines are brought to you by Agilent, a Fortune 500 company known for providing top-notch testing solutions to cannabis and hemp testing labs worldwide. Are you considering testing your cannabis in-house for potency? Agilent is giving away a FREE 1260 HPLC system for one year! If you are a Cultivator, processor, or cannabis testing lab you may qualify for this giveaway. Open up bitly.com/cannabis-contest to answer a few quick questions to enter to win!
Check out our other projects: • Marijuana Today— Our flagship title, a weekly podcast examining the world of marijuana business and activism with some of the smartest people in the industry and movement. • Marijuana Media Connect— A service that connects industry insiders in the legal marijuana industry with journalists, bloggers, and writers in need of expert sources for their stories.
