from what I understand the black market is thriving and doing more business than ever in the states…more people start smoking when it's legal; the ones who already did increase their production and suddenly everyone gets tired of paying the steep prices the dispensaries are charging and looks elsewhere. In steps the black market to capitalize..
It's been a mixed bag in the states in terms of Black Market (and grey market) performance. Washington state, which taxes Marijuana at 44% has seen pretty a very small reduction in Black Market sales, Colorado, which taxes it's Marijuana at a much lower rate of 28% has seen a drastic decrease in Black Market sales. Despite legal Marijuana, only 30% of the weed being used in Washington State comes from legal sources, to contrast this, 70% of the weed sold in Colorado comes from legal sources and the bulk of the remainder is 'grey-market' sales (legally grown pot, sold illegally through unlicensed delivery services). In Colorado the Mexican schwack you buy for $10/gram isn't worth buying considering that better quality legal pot is selling for $15/gram, unlike Washington State which is around $25/gram.
I read an interesting report the other day but can't seem to find it, that said the number of large quantity Marijuana busts in Mexico's border regions have increased since so many states have been legalizing part or all of their marijuana trade because the cartels are having a much harder time unloading their product and are now shifting their attention to human trafficking…. great.
http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21692873-growing-number-countries-are-deciding-ditch-prohibition-what-comes
One thing that looking at all of these figures makes me realize though… man, do they pay a lot for weed in the US :lol: