Living art adorns the walls in the lobby of The Higher Path, August 2018
As you may have noticed the prices of legal, compliant cannabis products have increased in the months since January 2018. Our goal here at The Higher Path has always been to provide our patients and customers with the highest quality products at a reasonable price, which is why we’ve increased our prices gradually since the start of 2018 to account for pricing increases throughout the legal cannabis industry. ​
We are currently in the process of increasing our product prices to the final, highest price that we’ve been easing everyone into over the past few months. These new prices are the highest prices that you can expect to see for products on our shelves. We want to be transparent with all of you about this, because we understand the frustration that comes from seeing a product you were used to paying a lower price for suddenly cost more.
Why are products so much more expensive now than they were prior to 2018? In addition to all the taxes, products are being regulated and the companies making them are being held to stricter standards than they were before. As of July 1st, 2018 the Bureau of Cannabis Control requires licensed dispensaries (like The Higher Path) to only carry products that comply with all packaging, labeling and Phase II testing requirements. You can read more about the specifics of these requirements here. As we’re sure you can imagine, all of these requirements that companies must comply with have increased the cost of producing their products. This in turn increases the wholesale cost to us as retailers. As a small business, it’s admittedly hard to compete with corporate cannabis and continue to offer the brands you love at a comparable price—but we’re working hard to continue to hold our own.
The good news? We’re expecting prices to drop back down again towards the end of the year. There are bills being voted on in the coming months that would allow vendors to drop their prices and make distribution significantly more cost effective. There’s also a bill supported by California officials that would allow for compassionate care programs that offer free medical cannabis to low income patients with serious health conditions. Positive changes are happening and the issues we’ve seen in the first year of legal cannabis in California are the kind of growing pains that come from any change of this magnitude.
Even though our prices are changing, our dedication to providing you with exemplary customer service and care remains the same. When you visit The Higher Path, you’re choosing to support a local business that is committed to being a positive force in both its community and the cannabis industry as a whole. We pay our taxes. We follow the rules. And we truly care about you—our patients and customers. We are so appreciative of your support over this past year as we’ve grown to be able to welcome medical patients and recreational consumers alike.
If you have any questions about changes to our prices, please email us at info@thehigherpath.com and we’d be happy to answer them for you!