420 with CWN — Report Shows High Taxes, Marijuana Deserts Stoking California Black Market
According to a recent report by Reason Foundation, the high taxes levied on state-approved marijuana products as well as the “marijuana deserts,” or localities and municipalities that have banned cannabis sales, have helped the black market to thrive within the state. Geoffrey Lawrence, the managing director of Reason Foundation, says approximately 80% of the localities in California have enforced bans or some form of restriction on marijuana cultivation and sale. He also says that retail outlets are few and far between for the more rural regions of the state. This makes it hard for residents in these areas to access…