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Ask Clay: Street pot is like rotgut Whiskey

Clay Thompson, The Republic | azcentral.com 3:13 p.m. MST March 29, 2016

What’s the difference between "medical marijuana" and "street marijuana?” And how come medical marijuana costs $300 an ounce while "street” marijuana only costs $60 an ounce?

There are several reasons for this.

For starters, it’s kind of like the difference between really cheap rotgut whiskey and the finest Tennessee sipping whiskey.

Medical marijuana is usually grown using hydroponics or aeroponics in climate controlled conditions and raised with quality nutrients.

And security can be expensive.

Purveyors of street weed are not quite so fussy.

It is usually pretty low grade stuff with seeds and stems and maybe pesticides and who knows what. [How does Clay know that street pot has seeds and stems??? And I am sure I know a lot of unhappy campers who are complaining that their medical marijuana has seeds and stems in it]

In addition to production costs, the regulatory bills pile up quickly.

It is not cheap to get a permit to cultivate and sell medical-grade marijuana, and it can be difficult to find a facility where you can do business.

Also, you need to remember that marijuana still is considered to be a controlled substance under federal law, and it is a federal offense to grow or own it.

You may go to all the trouble and expense of getting into the medical marijuana business and never know for sure when the feds might stop turning a blind eye to the trade and shut you down.

Last, as is the case with so many businesses, I suppose there is some element of supply and demand involved.

ASK CLAY ANYTHING

Why Google when you've got Clay Thompson, our resident guru of random knowledge? E-mail him your questions at

clay.thompson@arizonarepublic.com

and check back at clay.azcentral.com for his often hilarious responses.