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Why the Weed Business Looks to Be Recession-Proof
In states both legal and illegal, people are turning to cannabis to cope with an unprecedented situation
In tense times, certain sectors of the economy always seem to do well. The 2008 recession saw thriving liquor sales, and the pandemic has led to a similar pattern: During the first six weeks of lockdown, spirits sales were nearly 25% higher than the same time frame the year before. But alcohol isn’t the only in-demand intoxicant. Cannabis — or weed, if you live in a state where it hasn’t yet become big legal business — has been deemed an essential product, either legally by states or informally by consumers. We spoke to three men in different parts of the industry (and country) about how the lockdown has affected their bottom line.
As told to Jarrett Hill
The distributor
Chris Ball, 42, California
My family’s company, Ball Family Farms, specializes in pheno-hunting: identifying unique plant traits and then taking the time to cultivate new strains with just those qualities. The process of identifying the traits takes at least six months and once you know what these new strains are, you’ll need another three months to grow them.
