“What’s the matter with you?” He bellowed: “There’s nothing the matter with me. It’s you! You’re crazy if you think this fool contraption you’ve been wasting your time on will ever displace the horse.”

People still ride horses for sure, and horse buggies are still available to purchase today for anywhere between $1200-$2000. Maintaining a horse for a year costs anywhere between $8k and $10k.

Nowadays, you can build out a grow room in your basement for less than $1k and have all the flowers you want forever, and nobody would complain about it. You’d never have to step foot into a dispensary or a provisioning center. If you’re good at it and grow the right genetics, some of your friends might even want to purchase flowers from you. Alternatively, you can stop at a licensed storefront during your busy day when it’s convenient and choose from up to 35 different strains of flowers and 20 different edibles, amongst other items they have to offer.

Just like the Horse Carriage and the Cars appearing in 1870, people have choices to make. That’s why we like it here, even if it’s far from perfect and ever-changing on many levels… 

My favorite cannabis term that I often see from keyboard warriors is “corporate cannabis,” used to describe the perceived enemy. While I try to buy butter from a local farm as often as possible, I don’t get angry at butter that is sold at a grocery store. Similarly, I make an effort to buy eggs locally, but I also appreciate the convenience of gas stations that sell eggs, even if they’re lower quality. 

I read on Saturday morning that the total licensed stores in the State of Michigan sold, on average, over $8 million a day in cannabis products for the month of July. Some people are very happy to be able to use storefronts to purchase cannabis instead of a dealer’s living room, it appears. I don’t blame them, do you? After all, variety is the spice of life, as I’ve heard over and over. As I drove north in Michigan on Thursday, on the back roads of the state, I saw many levels of cannabis stores. Some had lower quality products priced low; others had products that I, being a certified pot snob, would definitely try out myself. A lot of these products I see are grown by my friends of many years who cut their teeth on the caregiver scene before legalization, and then crossed over to the challenge of maintaining 1000 grow lights instead of 10. This Saturday will mark the 10-year anniversary of my friend (let’s call them Deanna) being raided as a caregiver. You can be sure that Deanna doesn’t miss the sleepless nights that followed. However, she continued to follow her passion for the plant legally.

Listen…I understand this is a drastic differently approach to the plant that affects people in different ways. Let’s have an open conversation about the concerns. There are opportunities too, even if they aren’t clear yet. Change can be hard, but staying stuck in the past won’t help either. Focus your energy on adapting and finding ways. I know there are good people feeling hurt and uncertain right now, but I also know many success stories for people who work on the legal side now, and we will feature them in future to simply show it’s possible. The trials and tribulations that some of my friends have overcome with their fortitude are so inspiring, and I hope you find them to be so too.

“My wife asked me once if I weren’t a comedian what I would do. I couldn’t answer the question. I never imagined doing anything else. (He found his passion)” – Dave Chappelle

That’s how a lot of us feel about the cannabis plant and working with it. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else ever, and if you can…well, then you’ve always been in it for the money alone, in my opinion. The people who are still in this changing industry and aren’t bitter or angry but excited daily are the ones who will continue this journey.

Finally, if you’ve actually read this to the end and still feel the need to tell me, ‘Black market forever’ or what have you…I’m good with that too and only wish the best on everyone’s cannabis journey. The black market will always exist and thrive for some, just like horse buggies.

weird looking horse above