Apr 202012
May 192010
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Gone to Pot | ||||
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The daily show gives an unfair and funny look to some real issues in the growing weed business. Dispensaries compete for patients. The more safe, friendly and serviced based you can be, the more patients you will attract.
May 112010
There is currently not a lot of information on large grows in the USA, due to illegalization and regulation where it is legal.
Therefore this post is based on estimation using corn plants per acre and the current price of corn per bushel in May, 2010 and the assumed price of 1,000 dollars per pound of marijuana.
To start off we will assume a low estimate on corn: 20,000 plants per acre @ 36 in. (3ft) spacing per row
so for marijuana we will half that number to 10,000 plants per acre @ 72 in. (6 ft) spacing per row
how many bushels per acre of marijuana?
32 lbs per bushel.
16 oz. per pound
no of oz per plant = 1
no. of oz per acre = 8,500
no. of lbs. per acre = 625 lbs.
bushels per acre = 19.53
Just one acre of weed can produce 3.25 million dollars at $375 per oz with 10,000 plants
Even if you reduce the number to 5,000 plants per acre your total would be 1.625 million dollars per acre. So you get the idea that we are dealing with the most profitable cash crop ever.
The going rate per bushel of corn is:
369.75 cents per bushel or 3.70$
Daily change of 6.75 ( 1.86% )
Corn Quote Updated May-12-10 1:38 AM
The going rate per bushel of medical marijuana is:
32 lbs @ 1000 dollars per pound = 32,000 dollars.
fun Facts about corn:
- An average acre of corn yields 100 bushels.
- Starch, sweetner, fuel (ethanol), feed, and corn oil can be extracted from a bushel of corn.
- A bushel of corn will sweeten more than 400 cans of soda or produce 1.5 pounds of corn oil!
- A bushel of corn fed to livestock produces 6 pounds of beef, 13 pounds of pork, 20 pounds of chicken, or 28 pounds of catfish.
How much money can I make? With 3 flowering plants, 3 vegetative plants , and 12 immature plants–common amounts for medical marijuana laws.
I hear many people complaining that even though growing medical marijuana is legal, they can ONLY grow 6 plants by law, 3 plants growing and 3 plants flowering. Well we are here to break down the myths that you “can’t make any money doing that small of an operation” and “6 plants doesn’t sound like a commercial operation to me” and”there is too much regulation.” Now I am not talking about make thousands and thousands of dollars, just a little extra pocket change, and enough to reduce your pot budget if you smoke all the time. You can make about 5,000 dollar per year.
Regulation:
There is a lot of regulation–a disadvantage because it limits potential profits, but it’s new and it’s the most profitable cash crop–so it’s probably needed. Most states put a measure in the Medical Marijuana law that you have to grow it in a secure area, a lockable area…this is so kids don’t get into it (like a gun safe). The outcomes are unknown and it’s valuable. What does this mean for The WEED Business? It means it’s a good thing because it mandates that all legal suppliers are small-scale growers.
As the green movement progresses, the regulations will likely be eased, and seeing acres of high grade medical marijuana and hemp could be commonplace. Unless and until it’s legalized in every state, large-scale outdoor growing is problematic. There would be poachers, fences, armed guards in the fields. People wouldn’t act like it’s a corn field, they would act like it’s the only corn in a famine, because that is what the government has created….so the number of plants you can legally grow is limited for now. The more the economic benefits become apparent to the politicians, the more plants people will be allowed to grow.
Growing Indoors
If you are growing indoors, we will assume that you are harvesting 4 times a year, 3 months each harvest. We will also assume that you have invested in a automatically watered hydroponic system with quality 1000 watt lights or 240 watt LED lights for flowering, And some 4-foot fluorescent lights for your start plants or your clones.
- Growing, 2 months (eight weeks) should get 1 ounce per plant. 3 ounces per 2 months. (keep clones growing) every 2 months start a new cycle from matured clones. 6 intervals of 3 ounces = 18 ounces of pot a year. ……that’s only 1 pound and 2 ounces a year. So to sell a pound would be 5,000, but more likely you will sell grams to your friends or to yourself, as to offset the costs of electricity, your time, and those “hidden” expenses. If you sell that amount in ounces, it breaks down to: $375 per ounce times 18 equals $6,750– not too bad. 28 grams in an ounce times $20 = $560 times 18 ounces = $10,080 (the highest profit margin possible, and no smoking any for yourself)
- So yeah it does get restrictive,,,,,BUT you can grow for other patients! and expand your limit…so I guess that’s the only way to do it right.
- Therefore If you wanted to make a go at making some real pocket change, such as–making $30,000 a year would mean growing 20 plants every 2 months, and cranking out 20 ounces (1.25 lbs), selling it for $5,000 (which is high) 6 times a year.
Other Resources
- http://www.marijuanabusinessnews.com this site has an estimator, with drop down excel/table menus. it estimates 4.4 pounds in 2 months with 1 light (1,000 Watts). that seems OFF. really off but I like the idea, and this might help with the business plans and help you estimate your output.
- the “I grow Chronic DVD” features is 4 plants flowering, 2 month cycles, 6 x 4 ounces equals…24 ounces, 1 pound
| Wed 10pm / 9c | ||||
| Buffalo Soldier | ||||
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Need to know if you are underpaid for an ounce or overpaying in your area????
The question does come up, …Aaaand with so many variables of price: decriminalization, geography, demand, policing, crops, culture, quality, etc…there are so many prices out there for pot, the good stuff, schwag, mids.
Hightimes.com gives their monthly analysis of the weed prices per ounce gathered from thmq@hightimes.com
Get prices here : http://hightimes.com/tags/thmq
CURRENT OZ. PRICES:
CURRENT US PRICE INDEX: $342 (last month: $367, Year-to-Date: $355)
CURRENT KIND INDEX ($350+ PER OZ): $440 ($441, $441)
CURRENT MIDS INDEX ($150-$349 PER OZ): $253 ($301, $277)
CURRENT SCHWAG INDEX ($1-$149 PER OZ): $78 ($101, $90)
check out the new video of Rolling Stone’s executive editor’s interview about the new RS Article called MarijuanAmerica:
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Mar 072010
From: http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000881
15 Legal Medical Marijuana States and DC
Laws, Fees, and Possession Limits 2010
I. Fifteen states and DC have enacted laws that legalize medical marijuana:
| State | Year Passed | How Passed (Yes Vote) |
Fee | Possession Limit | Accepts other states’ registry ID cards? |
|
1. Alaska
|
1998
|
Ballot Measure 8 (58%) |
$25/$20
|
1 oz usable; 6 plants (3 mature, 3 immature)
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unknown1 |
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2. Arizona
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2010 | Proposition 203 (50.13%) | unknown2 | 2.5 oz usable; 0-12 plants3 | Yes4 |
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3. California
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1996
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Proposition 215 (56%) |
$66/$33
|
8 oz usable; 18 plants (6 mature, 12 immature)5
|
No |
|
4. Colorado
|
2000
|
Ballot Amendment 20 (54%) |
$90
|
2 oz usable; 6 plants (3 mature, 3 immature)
|
No |
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5. DC
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2010 | Amendment Act B18-622 (13-0 vote) | * | 2 oz dried; limits on other forms to be determined | unknown |
|
6. Hawaii
|
2000
|
Senate Bill 862 (32-18 House; 13-12 Senate) |
$25
|
3 oz usable; 7 plants (3 mature, 4 immature)
|
No |
|
7. Maine
|
1999
|
Ballot Question 2 (61%) | $100/$75 |
2.5 oz usable; 6 plants
|
Yes6 |
| 8. Michigan | 2008 | Proposal 1 (63%) | $100/$25 | 2.5 oz usable; 12 plants | Yes |
|
9. Montana
|
2004
|
Initiative 148 (62%) |
$25/$10
|
1 oz usable; 6 plants
|
Yes |
|
10. Nevada
|
2000
|
Ballot Question 9 (65%) |
$150 +
|
1 oz usable; 7 plants (3 mature, 4 immature)
|
No |
|
11. New Jersey
|
2010
|
Senate Bill 119 (48-14 House; 25-13 Senate) |
2 oz usable
|
unknown | |
| 12. New Mexico | 2007 | Senate Bill 523 (36-31 House; 32-3 Senate) | $0 |
6 oz usable; 16 plants (4 mature, 12 immature)
|
No |
|
13. Oregon
|
1998
|
Ballot Measure 67 (55%) |
$100/$20
|
24 oz usable; 24 plants (6 mature, 18 immature)
|
No |
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14. Rhode Island
|
2006
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Senate Bill 0710 (52-10 House; 33-1 Senate) |
$75/$10
|
2.5 oz usable; 12 plants
|
Yes |
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15. Vermont
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2004
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Senate Bill 76 (22-7) HB 645 (82-59) |
$50
|
2 oz usable; 9 plants (2 mature, 7 immature)
|
No |
|
16. Washington
|
1998
|
Initiative 692 (59%) |
24 oz usable; 15 plants
|
No |
If you are in one of the lucky states to have passed legislation on medical marijuana, here is what you should do.
- Go see a doctor, get a patient card…This will protect you legally.
- This status of patient will allow you to legally grow weed. You can get to know other patients, and act as their caregiver to up the quantity of plants you are allowed to grow.
- Develop a relationship with a dispensary, hang out there, buy a gram. Bring a sample of your own stuff, and see if you can sell to a dispensary.
- Then you are legally making cold hard cash from the WEED business!
How to make a Living Growing Medical Marijuana
This article is to show how it is possible to grow medical marijuana, with relatively few plants in a small grow room, and make enough money to supplement your income or live frugally. The bigger your operation the higher the profits. If you grow indoors, then you can harvest more; growing outdoors has less harvest cycles per year. The costs of electricity, growing equipment, and your time tending plants all adds up; but it can be a profitable venture.
things you’ll need
* time and care for plants
* seeds or female clones
* time to let plants grow
* a small room or basement
* grow equipment (lights and containers)
* secure location
Step 1
If you are growing indoors you have more opportunity to harvest and can trigger a flowering cycle
every 2 months (eight weeks) and you should get 1 ounce per plant. It takes 16 ounces to grow a pound. But lets give ourselves a buffer of 20 plants or a pound and a quarter. So lets say you have five varieties of bud, that’s four plants of each kind. You would need about 5 lights (4 plants under a light), high powered lights: 400W High Pressure Sodium or 200W LED light for flowering running 12 hours per day. For the Vegetative state of raising plants to flower you can use 4′ fluorescent lights on 18-24 hours per day.
Step 2
So making 30,000 a year would mean growing 16 plants every 2 months, and cranking out 20 ounces 1.25 lbs sell it for 5,000 (which is high) for 5,000 6 times a year. These prices depend on your geography, more saturated markets in California have lower prices of $2,500. But that is $15,000 from 96 plants a year. Not bad for a little farming hobby.
Step 3
Keep it going, the longer you grow—the better you will get at it! You can increase your net profit by using energy efficient lighting and the most common mistakes are over watering and not letting your plants mature.
Have you ever wondered what will happen if it does become legalized?
With medical marijuana becoming more mainstream? I think it will have many positive benefits, but as with anything grassroots its loses something when it goes mainstream, corporate, big, legal,,,whatever you want to call it.
Imagine if cigarette companies sell it in vending machines or at every gas station, or you can buy it in your average pharmacy, and it will be grown in fields like corn?
Cigarette Companies 
Those that would have marijuana legalized face opposition (even in their own ranks – though for different reasons) from others who see this tactic as leading to an agri-biz takeover of weed, complete with ad campaigns and a huge increase in use.
Will cigarette companies see this a new niche, and try to corner the market? What will they choose to do about this issue? Will they ignore the market? Probably not, they are probably researching it as we speak. They are waiting for the tipping point.
Pharmaceutical Companies
The AMA (American Medical Association) has said that it Marijuana has legitimate medical usage and should not be a schedule 1 drug, as president Nixon made it.
The pharmaceutical companies will lobby and lobby to get control of this market, wanting to pass legislation that says that you won’t be legally allowed to grow it (again). They will probably call schwag weed a danger, and market and market the idea into people’s heads that it needs to be regulated. Even though it grows fine in people’s backyards for free.
pharma weed
Agra-Biz
Another possible takeover of Medical Marijuana could come from the agriculture business. Who will patent strains of pot, genetically modify the plant, and try to own all the rights to growing it. Imagine Monsanto’s sour diesel. They are probably planning on taking weed farmers to court over the seeds and strains of weed. Owning the market via copyright and patent laws. Farming weed in such large quantities to beat out the mom and pop growers, the walmart of weed.
What if the fields are guarded with machine guns, fenced in and highly protected? What if they restrict access to who can grow it? Is regulation a good thing?
fields of weed
The AMA (American Medical Association) has said that it Marijuana has legitimate medical usage and should not be a schedule 1 drug, as president Nixon made it.
The pharmaceutical companies will lobby and lobby to get control of this market, wanting to pass legislation that states that you won’t be legally allowed to grow it again. They will probably call schwag weed a danger, and pound into people’s heads that it needs to be regulated. Even though it grows fine in people’s backyards for free.
