Selling Weed 101

The world of marijuana sales has changed dramatically since the trend of medical and recreational legalization began nearly 25 years ago. But, there is one trait a dealer needed to succeed now, then, or any time between: hustle.

How to Start Selling Weed as a Black Market Marijuana Dealer

Prior to the legalization of medical and/or recreational cannabis in most states of the Union, the only way to become a marijuana dealer was on the black market. While we certainly don’t recommend anyone to break any laws prohibiting the sale of certain substances, these were some of the best tips for selling weed back in the day:

Acquire marijuana: To start selling weed, you would either need to grow at least a few marijuana plants or find one or more connections who were able to provide you with a consistent supply.

Know your market: Did your prospective customers want eighths of high grade nugs (and the prices they sell for) or half ounces of mids? Or maybe you should skip the retail market entirely and wholesale pot by the pound. You had to put your personal preferences aside and stock what they wanted.

Weigh it and bag it up: It’s tempting to give everyone a fat sack, and it will certainly motivate customers to keep your number on speedial. But it will also cut into your bottomline. If you wanted to make money selling weed, you had to take a measured approach to generosity.

Put yourself out there! But not too much…: The key to making a profit selling weed on the black market and surviving as a free man was to market aggressively to everyone who was cool — and no one else. Loose lips sink ships, and trusting the wrong person could bring your venture to a quick and unfortunate end.

Selling Weed Prices and Weights

Perhaps the most important question you would be faced with when selling weed on the underground market is what prices you should give to the various weights. Weed dealers almost universally employ Imperial weight measurements for their bags, ranging from an eighth to a quarter pound (or more). For our purposes here, we will focus on the most commonly employed retail weights and prices:

Eighth: Although the weight of a proper eighth in practice is a hotly debated subject, in principle it is simply an eighth of an ounce, or 3.5 grams in metric. When I was growing up, we called this a “20 sack,” and it is also known as a “dub” in other parts of the country. As the name implies, it retailed for $20, but those prices have changed — both with the passage of time and varying geography. The price today ranges from about $20 to $50.

Quarter: This is just double the size of an eighth at 7 grams. However, it often retails for a bit less than double the price, as you usually see some discount for volume. Prices generally range from $30 to $90.

Ounce: An ounce is 28.35 grams, and you will definitely need to provide a substantial discount over the per gram price here compared to eighths and quarters. The price for an ounce varies tremendously depending on what market you are in. In states like California where weed is seemingly everywhere, they retail for as little as $100. But in less fortunate parts of the country, people pay upwards of $350 for a high quality ounce. $200 to $300 is fairly typical.

If you ever want to scope out your competition, you can check the prices being reported in your market at the website PriceofWeed.com.

How to Sell Weed as a Legal Marijuana Dealer

Dealing marijuana is a completely different game now in the states where it has been legalized medically or recreationally. Getting started selling weed now is a lot more difficult than buying a quarter pound and a box of sandwich bags. But the opportunity is still there for anyone ready to work for it, and the upside is that you can now actually get rich selling weed without risking a prison sentence.

Tips on Selling Weed in a Legal Market

Know the rules: Compliance is the name of the game in legal cannabis markets. Read the laws and the rules, and if you know them backwards and forwards, you will always be able to find work in the cannabis industry.

Know the strains and products: The illicit market did not offer much in the way of choice. Dealers could sell basically anything, because consumers couldn’t just go down the street to a dispensary. Now, you need to understand numerous strains and their effects (or, better yet, understand the effects of various cannabinoid profiles), as well as a host of products like edibles, concentrates, and topicals.

Network: And now you can do it without worrying about the cops! Regardless of whether you are looking to get hired or looking for investors for your cannabusiness, you have to seek them out. Industry conferences and job fairs can be excellent ways to connect, but also pricey. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative, seek out industry-oriented groups and pages on social media and engage — and this is key — constructively.

Following these tips on selling weed will not guarantee that you get rich. But, they will give you a shot at following your cannabis dreams in what is currently a nearly $15 billion a year industry in the United States and projected to hit $100 billion worldwide by the end of the decade!

Final Thoughts on What You Need to Sell Weed in Today’s Market

Starting out as a weed dealer has changed a lot since the 90’s. Prior to any kind of medical or recreational legalization of cannabis, you had to cultivate a stable and highly trustworthy network of both suppliers and customers. Even then, making money dealing weed was difficult, with the threat of arrest always looming.

Breaking into the cannabis industry may be more of a challenge than becoming a weed dealer 20 years ago, but the opportunities are now nearly unlimited!