But a new multi-state study on cannabis pricing carries a quieter message that matters for treatment seekers: even where cannabis is legal, most of what people consume still comes from the unregulated market, and that product varies widely in safety and contamination risk.
What the Cannabis Pricing Study Found
Researchers Rebecca Hebert, Spruha Joshi, and Kevin Boehnke compared legal and illicit cannabis flower prices from 2018 to 2024, drawing on crowdsourced illicit-price data and public legal-price data from eight states.
The preprint, posted to Research Square and under review at the Journal of Cannabis Research, is described by the authors as the most comprehensive U.S. evidence to date on how regulated cannabis relates to illicit prices.
The authors note that the majority of cannabis consumed in the U.S. is still obtained from unregulated, illicit sources, even though nearly 80% of Americans live in a county with a legal dispensary.
Price is the main reason. Within states, the picture depended on market maturity: in Colorado, California and Michigan, legal cannabis was significantly less expensive than illicit cannabis.
In Massachusetts, Illinois, Maine and Connecticut, illicit cannabis was significantly less expensive than legal. The median price per gram of illicit cannabis was also significantly lower in recreational states than non-recreational states, $7.10 versus $8.90.
Why the Safety Angle Matters for Treatment Seekers
The study’s public-health logic rests on a point treatment seekers should know: unregulated cannabis carries greater risk.
The authors note that cannabis from non-regulated sources poses greater public health risks including unknown and inconsistent potency, and higher risk of microbial and pesticide contamination.
When legal prices stay competitive, the authors argue, people tend to shift toward the safer, tested product.
The researchers also flag an equity concern. Legal cannabis priced significantly higher than illicit cannabis perpetuates inequitable access to safer substances.
It increases risks in price-sensitive and often more vulnerable populations, such as young adults. Cost shapes behavior in substance use the same way it shapes access to treatment.
How This Connects to Addiction Treatment
Cannabis use disorder is real and treatable, even though cannabis is often perceived as low-risk. People who want to cut back or stop have options across the levels of care, from outpatient counseling to intensive outpatient programs, often combined with therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing.
For people using cannabis alongside other substances, an assessment can clarify whether a higher level of care or dual-diagnosis treatment fits.
What This Means for Treatment Seekers
Policy debates about pricing won’t decide anyone’s recovery, but the underlying message is useful: product safety and personal use patterns are shaped by forces larger than willpower.
If cannabis use is affecting your health, work, or relationships, that is reason enough to explore treatment options regardless of legal status or price.
Finding the Right Rehab
If you’re weighing next steps, you can compare rehab centers by location, level of care, and the substances they treat, look into insurance coverage for addiction treatment, and verify a facility’s credentials and approach before you commit.
Rehab.com’s nationwide directory features verified treatment centers to help you find the right level of care. Call
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