Wholesale Cannabis Market ‘Continues to See Price Declines’ in 2022

Nearly all cannabis product categories saw a drop in wholesale prices last year – with the notable exception of edibles – but flower was the biggest loser by a wide margin, according to a new market report.

Between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31 last year, the average wholesale pound of cannabis flower fell by more than 41%, according to a report from technology firm LeafLink, which analyzed wholesale prices from 13 U.S. states.

The average price per pound of flower dipped to roughly $1,082 on average across the states surveyed.

The drops varied widely for individual state markets, including California, where wholesale prices dipped 40% from 2021; Massachusetts, where wholesale flower prices plummeted 61%; Michigan, which saw a 68% wholesale price decrease; and Oklahoma, where wholesale prices fell 59%.

“No state saw average flower price increases” in the nine-month span that LeafLink examined, and the “median price of flower decreased (about) 50% from 2021, representing the largest shift in pricing across categories.”

Concentrates took the next biggest hit, with wholesale prices down 24%. Pre-rolls and vape cartridges were both down by about 12% from wholesale prices in 2021, LeafLink reported.

Edibles Stay Strong

Edibles, however, “bucked industry price trends this year by holding strong,” and even gained a 3.4% wholesale price increase per milligram, LeafLink reported.

“The market continues to see price declines across most of the board,” LeafLink reported. “Oversupply and oversaturation continue to fuel downward price trends.”

The report cited Oklahoma, where “retailers outpace market demand by staggering sums,” and pointed out that even Oregon, which is “oft-associated with biomass oversupplies, also saw average price drops across the board in 2022.”

“Consumers either have less to work with or are more cautious with what they have. In either case, retailers are feeling the impact in the form of smaller basket sizes, less foot traffic, and additional skewed values,” LeafLink reported.

The average state prices per pound of cannabis flower:

• Alaska: $2,100
• Arizona: $950
• Arkansas: $1,825
• California: $1,200
• Colorado: $800
• Massachusetts: $1,683
• Michigan: $900
• Missouri: $1,894
• Nevada: $1,050
• Ohio: $800
• Oklahoma: $1,000
• Oregon: $960
• Washington state: $1,241