Coronavirus inflates cannabis prices and hinders access for consumers

Exitable
07 Apr 2020

It was predictable. If people were fighting over a roll of paper, it stands to reason that they would fight over a bit of cannabis as well. The State of Alarm caused by the crisis of the Coronavirus forced grows and associations to lower the blind and close indefinitely. This led to the massive supply of marijuana by users, an increase in demand that has encouraged black market prices to inflate and stocks in clubs to run out. The clueless growers ran out of supplies for the newly released outdoor season , and now have to go to the few stores that continue to operate online to buy soil, fertilizers, seeds and other farming utensils. Meanwhile, many consumers are still looking for some herb or hashish on the black market to be able to pass the confinement, with the surprise that what used to cost 5, is now worth 10, 15 and even 20.


 

"Right now, marijuana is more therapeutic for recreational consumers than ever before."

The streets are full of police, the roads are full of controls, and we see more and more agents punishing those who dare to leave without just cause. The nightmare of any cannabis user comes true . If you add to this the growing desire of the neighbors to act as law enforcement officers from their balconies, we have a very dangerous cocktail for those who dare to skip the quarantine in order to get some weed. Many will believe that cannabis is not a necessity, and therefore, nobody should leave their home to buy it. Nothing is further from reality. For many, marijuana is one more medicine with which to alleviate everything from common ailments to the symptoms of serious chronic diseases. With no associations where they can safely buy cannabis, they must risk getting something on the black market. But recreational users also have a compelling reason to consider marijuana a staple . On gray days when you have to stay home, cannabis is one of the few faithful companions. It helps to reduce stress and anxiety, to disconnect and make confinement more bearable. Without a doubt, marijuana is now more therapeutic for recreational consumers than ever.

The black market is profiting from the Coronavirus

It is so evident that even the general media have echoed it. The black market is profiting from the Coronavirus. Herb shortages, new difficulties in distributing it, and growing demand have made illegal sellers inflate prices. The market is the market, even when it is illegal. El País publishes today an article entitled "The joints are already priced at the price of gold." Although the headline is quite misguided, it explains a reality that is increasingly affecting more consumers. In the text, they count how hashish and marijuana are worth between double and triple today than they did a couple of weeks ago . If before the gram sold for around five euros, now it easily exceeds ten. A matter of stock and opportunism. Everything indicates that the main reason is that, as has happened with supermarkets, people have also devastated the stocks of most sellers. With the difference that it is much more difficult to replace marijuana than toilet paper . With the streets empty and the police roaming everywhere, it is difficult to distribute marijuana to 'dealers' so that they can then sell it to the end user. Before, they could go unnoticed amid the bustle of the city. Now, not only do they risk being penalized for drug trafficking, but also face fines just for going out on the street without good cause.

Self-cultivation, the solution to the lack of supply

Despite the difficulties in obtaining marijuana, something can still be found. But this situation will become increasingly complicated. Therefore, the most feasible solution is self-cultivation . We can still find quite a few stores that operate online, but we don't know how long they will allow these types of businesses to continue operating. In a previous article, we already warned of the need to collect all the material we needed for this season , since the closure of grow shops was imminent.

Grow on the balcony, on your terrace or anywhere you can.

We recommend starting to plant and autoflowering seeds , in order to collect the first harvest in about two months. There are many strains that, in just eight weeks from germination, can be harvested with excellent results. We can also grow photodependent varieties and induce them to bloom by sheltering them for 12 hours in total darkness. Although the task is complicated, it is a good option for those who do not have or do not want to grow autoflowering. Some grow shops and seed banks continue to supply growers who want to save the season and stock up on their own marijuana for the duration of the Covid-19 crisis. Therefore, we recommend that, if you have not already done so, start acquiring some seeds to start cultivating as soon as possible. On balconies, terraces, gardens or closets, now more than ever, it is time for self-cultivation.

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Exitable