NEPT - Congress and the FDA May Square Off Over CBD
To say that the marijuana industry had a bad 2019 wouldn't do justice to just how awful things were. Despite seeming to be on the cusp of profitability, cannabis stocks throughout North America wound up being clobbered by a variety of issues, with a number of the most popular marijuana stocks losing well over half their value since the end of March.
In Canada, persistent supply problems have mostly been to blame. These supply bottlenecks and shortages are due to Health Canada delaying the launch of derivatives until mid-December 2019 (derivatives generate much juicier margins for pot stocks than dried flower), and Ontario failing to open an adequate number of dispensaries.
Meanwhile, high tax rates have proved a burden in a number of legalized U.S. states. California, as a perfect example, has been taxing the daylights out of its consumers, thereby allowing the black market to continue to significantly undercut legal channels on price.