From Maine to California, more and more states are legalizing the medicinal use of marijuana. If a patient meets a certain set of criteria, his or her physician may either prescribe marijuana as a treatment or refer them to a state-regulated dispensary where they can self-medicate with a substance that they say relieves the conditions of their illness.
‘Open’ Signs
Dispensaries have thus far shown themselves to be lucrative businesses. This is true despite the fact that marijuana can still be obtained, with relative ease, on the black market for lower prices. Free from the stigma of illegality, marijuana users can help themselves to an exotic selection of cannabis. In some dispensaries they can sample the product. Plenty of information is provided to customers; the dispensaries, in fact, go out of their way to express their legitimacy to anyone who wants to hear it.
Right Next To The Aspirin
Another revenue stream available to the dispensaries is the sale of smoking paraphernalia. Bongs and pipes are a huge part of the culture, and now they are – in principle – on the same shelves as thermometers and Ace bandages. This provides another distribution outlet for the manufacturers of bongs and pipes, and for the raw materials from which they are crafted. They add to the attraction of the dispensary, increase its bottom line and give it a better chance at sustainability.
This point in time represents the tip of the iceberg for the smoking paraphernalia market, brightening its blip on the economic radar screen. As it continues to emerge from the shadows, the bong and pipe industry will be more fully appreciated as it creates jobs and contributes to the local, state and federal tax coffers.