California’s recreational weed market is set to open on on January first, which is only a few weeks from now. Ordinarily, this would be cause for great excitement, but the state has been a raging inferno for most of the season. California has suffered a record breaking number of wildfires this year and the fires have destroyed a large chunk of California’s weed crops. The devastation of thousands of people’s homes aside, the question on a number of people’s minds is how will these wildfires affect their recreational weed market?

How Bad is the Damage?

It’s been estimated that a total of 44 cannabis farms were affected by the wildfires that raged through Northern California in the beginning of October. Even the crops that weren’t completely torched were damaged by smoke, which means they are pretty much ruined because no one wants to smoke weed that tastes like a campfire.

As an extra bit of bad luck, these wildfires happened right in the middle of harvest season, so many of these crops were destroyed just as they were about to be harvested. Sure, growers can start over next spring, but will they be able to after losing their primary source of income? What if the crops were destroyed during next year’s wildfire season?

How Will The California Wildfires Affect Cannabis Prices?

Now that California’s cannabis supply has been drastically reduced, how will this affect weed prices? I’m just speculating here, but it seems likely that cannabis prices will skyrocket. The question is, how much? If prices get too high, will people ditch the legal market and go back to the black market? That seems likely, and if it does happen, that could attract the attention of the DEA and the Justice Department.

Is This the New Normal?

I’m sorry to say that this most likely is the new normal. Increased California wildfires are just one of the many devastating effects of climate change. Wildfire season is expected to last later and later into the year. This will also affect California’s already dwindling water supply, as supply lines are diverted to combat increasing wildfires. Will we even be able to grow cannabis in California anymore? Have we seen the last of the Emerald Triangle?

Image Source: Quartz

Have the California wildfires destroyed California’s recreational market for good, or can they bounce back? Share in the comments!