A new report from the Coalition for Cannabis Policy, Education, and Regulation (CPEAR) looking at the nation’s illicit cannabis market makes a number of policy suggestions aimed at reining in unlicensed marijuana sales. Among them, the group calls for a centralized, nationwide track-and-trace system as well as marijuana tax stamps to help “distinguish regulated cannabis products from illicit products.”
“Eliminating the illicit market requires a multifaceted approach, one that leverages technology and data and relies on collaboration between law enforcement agencies, policymakers, and the regulated cannabis industry,” says a press release from the advocacy group, whose membership includes tobacco and alcohol giants such as Altria Client Services, Reynolds American, Molson Coors Beverage Company and Constellation Brands
The 35-page CPEAR report, published Tuesday, estimates that more than 10 billion grams of cannabis (about 353 million ounces, or 22 million pounds) will be obtained by U.S. consumers in 2023 alone. States where marijuana remains illegal are expected to account for about half of that number, while the 23 states with adult-use cannabis will contribute about a quarter of the estimated total. On average, the illicit market is about 50 percent “as a function of total cannabis demand,” the report says, citing Cannabis Public Policy Consulting research.
CPEAR’s executive director, Andrew Freedman, said in a statement that it’s time for the U.S….
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