Determining the price of marijuana often corresponds to where you purchase it.  However, since every cannabis user employs different methods of obtaining their buds, prices are directly related to who you buy it from.  There is little information pertaining to historic prices of marijuana.  In the United States, cannabis was used in medicinal preparations as early as the 1840’s in Persian pharmacies, and the cost was presumably much less than opiates or good whiskey for the time.  In 1906, the Pure Food and Drug Act was passed in the US requiring products using cannabis to be labeled.  Yet little is known about the products that were being used with cannabis, nor is much known about the cost.  Given worldwide facts, hash was the predominant drug that derived from cannabis and was used in both hemispheres.

Marijuana was not widely used (or perhaps not publically known) until the 1970’s.  Relevant information is hard to find.  Yet when talking or reading through forums with those who regularly purchased and smoked weed in the 70’s, a lot will say the price fluctuated around $30-$100 an ounce.  For larger distributors, pounds would vary from $200-$800.  This is not verified by the FDA or another government agency so I’m sure prices they would have around this time would be much different.

In the 80’s prices rose to about $300-$1000 per pound and continued to rise.  The 90’s saw prices continuing to soar to about $350-$4000 a pound depending on quantity.  Fluctuations in price around this time were due to the US’s proximity to the Mexican border.  Prices tended to be higher for strands that came from Asia, Canada, Jamaica, and Columbia.

The 2000’s have brought a little more stability for the market for marijuana.  This is partly due to dispensaries throughout the US setting floors and ceilings on the cost for certain strands.  Yet it also seems the market is fairly stable due to the abundance of marijuana on the market (if you think about it, how hard is it to obtain a sack?).  Whether you go to your local dispensary or your local dealer, you should expect to pay anywhere from $40-$70 per 1/8.  An ounce will run you anywhere between $175 to $400 depending on the strain.  Pounds range from $1250 to $3500+.  Of course, this is entirely dependent on where you are from as well.  

One good source to determine that average costs of marijuana in your area is priceofweed.com.  This displays a map where users input the most recent prices paid for different amounts of marijuana.  And given the recent data displayed here, it appears those living on the east coast pay substantially more than those living on the west coast.  Now, I will have to do more research as more time allows, but it would seem that the amount of states in the west that have legalized marijuana for medicinal use have actually driven down the price.  Arizona, California, Oregon, and Montana all have statutes that allow medicinal marijuana use, and these states all represent some of the lowest priced areas on average for purchasing marijuana. 

Only time will tell what will happen to prices once our government realizes marijuana’s economic potential and decides to fully legalize it for recreational use.