Marijuana is cheaper in Missouri compared to a few states, but it won’t make the top 10 states for the cheapest medical marijuana.
The top states include Oregon, Washington, Colorado, California, Montana, and a few others, where the average price of an ounce of high-quality medical marijuana is less than $300.
That said, to what extent is marijuana cheaper in Missouri? To understand Missouri medical marijuana prices, you need to understand how dispensaries price weed.
How Much Does Weed Cost in Missouri?
For a high-quality ounce, the average cost of weed in Missouri and its neighboring states, including Illinois and Oklahoma, hovers between $340 and $350.
This average cost of marijuana is mostly consistent with states that legalized medical weed between 2018 and 2021.
However, the national average cost of marijuana is $326.
On the other hand, the average cost of weed in Missouri and neighboring states is consistently between $280 and $320 for an ounce of medium quality. But, the national average cost of marijuana in the medium-quality category is $266.
If you look at the states with the cheapest prices, you’d note that they legalized weed in the late 90s to early 2000s.
LEARN MORE: What’s the Cheapest Place to Get a Medical Card in Missouri?
How Much Weed Can I Buy in Missouri?
In Missouri, medical cannabis purchase limits are based on equivalency measures. A patient is allowed to buy 4 ounces of flower products every 30 days.
This quantity is equivalent to either 1 ounce of dried, unprocessed cannabis, 8 grams of cannabis concentrate, or 800 milligrams of THC-infused products.
Conversely, for recreational users, the purchase limit is set at a maximum of 3 ounces per transaction. This distinction in purchase limits reflects the different regulations governing medical and adult-use cannabis in the state.
What is the Difference between High-Quality Weed and Medium-Quality Weed?
As with every other weed legal state, Missouri’s medical marijuana price is partly determined by the quality of the weed.
The higher the quality, the higher the average cost of marijuana strain.
High-Quality Weed
Also known as craft cannabis, piff, top shelf, or artisanal weed. High-quality weeds have visible translucent trichomes, brilliant colors (such as purple, blue, red, and pink), and strong flavors.
Growers put a lot of effort into growing high-quality weed, often preferring to use only organic treatments and hand-trim them.
The average Missouri weed price for an eighth (3.5 grams) of high-quality weed ranges between $45 to $70.
Medium or Mid-Quality Weed
Also known as reggie or regular weed. Most commercial medical weed falls within this grade; you can easily find them in stores.
Reggies do not have very vibrant color profiles, and their aromas are not as strong as those of top-shelf buds.
They are usually green with hints of purple, orange, and/or yellow hues. Also, the trichomes are not so pronounced when visible.
The average Missouri weed price for an eighth (3.5 grams) of a mid-quality weed falls within the $35 to $40 range.
With this in view, is marijuana cheaper in Missouri? Comparatively, yes. Medium weed is the most commonly available grade of weed in dispensaries, and the average price in most states, even some that were legalized in the early 2000s, is higher than the average in Missouri.
For instance, if you are to ask, “How much is marijuana in Vermont?” You might be surprised to learn that the average price is $40+.
This puts Missouri’s medical marijuana price at a comparatively cheaper or similar rate to most states.
Low-Quality Weed
Also known as ditch weed, dirt weed, or schwag. Low-quality weeds are usually very brownish with tiny hints of green and a pungent smell.
This weed category is not available in Missouri dispensaries and is not a factor in determining the Missouri medical marijuana price.
How to Calculate the Cost of Weed
If you have bought medical weed a few times, you must have come across terms like one-eighth, 3.5 grams, and one ounce. If you have never really understood the concepts, this breakdown might be helpful.
The cannabis industry collectively uses grams and ounces as measures to maintain consistency in weed measurement at the point of sale and establish a comparative measure of weed price across all legal states.
Generally, an ounce of weed is the legal possession limit across the U.S., while a gram is the smallest amount of weed you can purchase at dispensaries. So, it makes sense that dispensaries use these metrics to determine the cost of weed in Missouri and other states.
Understanding the Numbers
For context:
- 1 oz (one ounce) = 28 grams.
When buying your weed, you may likely notice that the label says 1/8th or 3.5 grams, as in the pictures below:
Both refer to the same measurement: one-eighth of an ounce = 3.5 grams.
One-eight of an ounce equals one portion of an ounce of weed divided into eight places.
- That is, one ounce divided by 8 = one-eighth (1/8) oz. Budtenders often say “an eighth.”
- Similarly, 28 grams divided by 8 = 3.5 grams.
Knowing this measure of weed helps you understand price differences when comparing prices because you might find that a dispensary sells a particular strain at 7g measures while another uses an eight measure for a similar price.
For instance, if Dispensary A sells an eighth of Peppermint Kush for $40 and Dispensary B sells 7 grams of the same Peppermint Kush for $70, you should go for the latter as theirs is cheaper.
Since an eighth is 3.5 grams, it means that Dispensary A would sell 7 grams at $80.
Note: 7 grams equals a quarter of an ounce (1/4 oz), and 14 grams is half of an ounce (½ oz). You might see these slightly confusing numbers on some products.
Factors Affecting the Cost of Weed in Missouri
It is safe to say that medical marijuana prices in Missouri have significantly decreased since dispensaries opened their doors to patients in late 2020.
As time passes and more businesses join the Missouri cannabis industry, the cost of weed in Missouri will get a lot cheaper.
Below is a brief look at the factors affecting Missouri weed prices:
- High cost of business setup
- Taxes at the state and local levels
- Inflation and other economic factors
- Quality grade
- The strain
What is the Penalty for Possession of Marijuana in Missouri?
Under the current law, individuals who are not medical marijuana patients and are found in possession of 10 grams or less of marijuana or its synthetic variants are subject to a fine of $500.
However, individuals with a history of offenses related to controlled substances may encounter stricter penalties.
These can include increased fines and the potential for incarceration, reflecting a more severe approach to repeat offenses in controlled substance violations.
Elevate Holistics: Save Money With Your Medical Marijuana Card
Is marijuana cheaper in Missouri? The correct answer should be “comparatively.”
However, given the performance of the Missouri marijuana industry in the past year, it is clear that the prospects for medical marijuana are very bright, and it will be a lot cheaper in the future.
When the first dispensaries started sales, the average cost of marijuana per eighth was $60. Today, it is thereabouts $35 and is likely to get a lot cheaper once Missouri legalizes recreational marijuana.
Basically, as with most other states, recreational users will bear most of the costs in the form of taxes, while medical marijuana prices will be reduced to give patients easier access to quality weed.
Remember that your medical marijuana card will always give you cheaper and quicker access to weed while saving you hundreds of dollars annually.
Elevate Holistics offers first-class medical card services at the cheapest rate in Missouri. Contact us for a new medical card or a renewal.
We can schedule you for an online medical marijuana doctor consultation, approve you for medical marijuana, process your card, and have it delivered to your home in the shortest time possible.
