New LP applicant putting his neck out there..

j0yr1d3 said:

Care and compassion should be the foremost focus of any LP that put's patients before profit. High quality medicine at an affordable price, transparency in your business with everything from growing practices to production costs and overhead, large variety of strains, use of traditional strain names, dedicated supply etc etc etc. The minute a company starts talking about "80-90% profit margins" and accessing the "import/export market" or "going public" they have pretty much lost me, these are companies that care about profit, not patients. That being said I understand companies need to operate for profit and nobody works for free but let's keep it within reason. You can start by charging less than the black market.

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Im all for transparency with production practices but I don't think LPS need to disclose production costs and overhead costs.

OrganiBryce said:

I agree! I just hope that HC dosent burden us with too much overhead. The cost of security, etc will quickly add up and affect the bottom line of many LP's. I'm hoping my other experiences in organic farming and greenhouse maintenance will help keep costs down a little.

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Sadly this is all too true.

Many LPs are going after CBD low THC. You're definitely not the only one thinking of that route.

OrganiBryce said:

I appreciate your input j0yr1d3. One thing's for sure, I definitely agree with you. I'm trying my best to come up with efficient ways to approach this market. One thing is for sure, quality is at the top of my priority list to get started... I was shocked to hear that many producers are irradiating their weed! I understand that many patients have immunodeficiency issues that we must be aware of as producers as well though... it's going to be hard to navigate every aspect of this new business, while keeping our values at heart.. I think that being transparent is a good approach. If we show our methods, and talk about the process, maybe it will inspire confidence?

To be honest, I'm not too familiar with black market prices. My experience ends at growing... What is your opinion on fair price?

Since we are going to be late to the party.. we will need to import our seeds from over seas, at this point. Otherwise our only other option that I know of is buying from other Canadian producers... awesome optics there.

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I am not a fan of LP's and I have not kept that a secret. I appreciate you wanting feedback from patients, so I'll give you mine. Unfortunately, LP's have been put in the unenviable position of trying to build a business around a captive, hostile customer base. IMO, The LP is seen as partners with HC and the MMPR. While patients actively fight the implementation of the MMPR which is financially out of reach of many patients, LP's were quick to jump on board. Their whole business model is designed around profiting from patients who are able to pay and those willing to fore go food and other necessities, while discarding the rest. I appreciate there is a market for LP's to supply, but it should be voluntary. As far as 'inspiring confidence', I am not confident anyone can produce my medicine better than I can, and I refuse to pay for an unneeded and unwanted service. A "fair price" is tricky...while you need to make a profit, not many will pay more than black market prices. On the west coast we are paying $5/g 'on the street' so anything more than that would be laughed at. The LP then has to add the cost of shipping and GST & PST , so to beat the black market price, you'd need to be at around $3/g or less, and who wants to wait a week or more to get the meds they paid for? The $3/g doesn't make great business sense, but having to go without meds I have been growing myself in order to support the LP's lifestyle makes no sense to me.

Princess of Pot said:

Im all for transparency with production practices but I don't think LPS need to disclose production costs and overhead costs.

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No they don't NEED to, but I'd like to know I'm not getting raped financially on something that they've marked up to absurd prices. If it costs them $0.10 to produce a gram then they turn around and sell it to you for $8.00 you're ok with that? I am not, if my insurance would cover marijuana then hey go crazy charge $100 a gram, but since I need to pay for this medicine with my hard earned money I won't be supporting no "80-90% profit margins" companies that think they are just going to grow some plants and cash in. There needs to be COMPLETE transparency for any of these companies to garner my trust or business. So far this whole system is shady as hell. I know the people I get my meds from now, there's a level of trust and compassion there, I'm just supposed to have that same level of trust with a faceless corporation half way across the country that won't reveal anything about their business practices? Yeah ok.

j0yr1d3 said:

No they don't NEED to, but I'd like to know I'm not getting raped financially on something that they've marked up to absurd prices. If it costs them $0.10 to produce a gram then they turn around and sell it to you for $8.00 you're ok with that? I am not, if my insurance would cover marijuana then hey go crazy charge $100 a gram, but since I need to pay for this medicine with my hard earned money I won't be supporting no "80-90% profit margins" companies that think they are just going to grow some plants and cash in. There needs to be COMPLETE transparency for any of these companies to garner my trust or business. So far this whole system is shady as hell. I know the people I get my meds from now, there's a level of trust and compassion there, I'm just supposed to have that same level of trust with a faceless corporation half way across the country that won't reveal anything about their business practices? Yeah ok.

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I have a hard time believing they will be able to produce weed for less than 3 $ a gram, take in consideration all the staff to run those operations, scientists, labs, security ... not to mention equipment, power, fertilizer (which should be organic, they shouldnt be allowed to use any chems on medicine for patients, of course this aint going to happen...)

I do think the government should take the hit for people with prescriptions, there should be standard sets so that people using marijuana for epilepsy (where there is more scientific evidence of the benefits) get a greater discount than Joe with back pain. I have nothing against Joe with back pain, and I don't think Joe with back pain should have to pay more than 3$ a gram.

I think what they should do is set it so patients can still grow their own, and set the limits in wattage of lights, not plant counts. For instance, someone needing 1 gram a day should be allowed to use 2000 watts of light. Plant counts didnt work and that's what killed the system in the first place, everybody started to abuse it and started growing monster plants.

j0yr1d3 said:

No they don't NEED to, but I'd like to know I'm not getting raped financially on something that they've marked up to absurd prices. If it costs them $0.10 to produce a gram then they turn around and sell it to you for $8.00 you're ok with that? I am not, if my insurance would cover marijuana then hey go crazy charge $100 a gram, but since I need to pay for this medicine with my hard earned money I won't be supporting no "80-90% profit margins" companies that think they are just going to grow some plants and cash in. There needs to be COMPLETE transparency for any of these companies to garner my trust or business. So far this whole system is shady as hell. I know the people I get my meds from now, there's a level of trust and compassion there, I'm just supposed to have that same level of trust with a faceless corporation half way across the country that won't reveal anything about their business practices? Yeah ok.

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like like like. Very well said

GreenSanta said:

I have a hard time believing they will be able to produce weed for less than 3 $ a gram, take in consideration all the staff to run those operations, scientists, labs, security ... not to mention equipment, power, fertilizer (which should be organic, they shouldnt be allowed to use any chems on medicine for patients, of course this aint going to happen...)

I do think the government should take the hit for people with prescriptions, there should be standard sets so that people using marijuana for epilepsy (where there is more scientific evidence of the benefits) get a greater discount than Joe with back pain. I have nothing against Joe with back pain, and I don't think Joe with back pain should have to pay more than 3$ a gram.

I think what they should do is set it so patients can still grow their own, and set the limits in wattage of lights, not plant counts. For instance, someone needing 1 gram a day should be allowed to use 2000 watts of light. Plant counts didnt work and that's what killed the system in the first place, everybody started to abuse it and started growing monster plants.

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I agree that the government or insurance companies should be picking up the tab for medical users of marihuana - but I don't think that patients' sicknesses and disabilities should be rated for different prices of medicine.

What I am confused about is how so many large corporations are emerging in this marketplace. What do they know that I don't know? Are they preparing themselves for full legalization? Because patients will not be supporting these businesses - especially if there is some kind of ruling given in March to allow patients to keep growing for themselves.

Yes they are preparing themselves for full legalization. It might be a long haul (no pun intended). Did you really think these LPs were thinking of the 40k patient market?

Patients always have been the stepping stone...for LP's eyeing the Big Picture.....
Most are looking to become the next (Molson''s or labbats or you fill in the name....)
why not eh....
The part that sucks is that I'm now a patient...and can no longer view this as any kind of recreation for me...
and I take my health seriously....which others will definitely not.......
I'm sure there was a time when there could have been a" Cannadans Doper's Retail" in every other town across this country...
but I'm too sick to have enough drive to be starting all over again...regardless of how much money I could make....

JOyr1d3, I agree that a high level of transparency is a key factor in establishing trust and dialog with our patients. I would like to see us offering this as some to some scale in our member’s area. I can assure you that based on my experience; the growers who will take the time to produce a top shelf product will not be making a mark up of 80-90% unless they are selling at a very high price. Anyone producing a high-grade product will have put the appropriate time into developing it. At least as far as I'm concerned, I will be happy to share more information with our patients. As I've mentioned, I come from a background in organic farming and community based urban agriculture. This is how things already operate successfully. When I'm proud of what I do, I'm happy to share in that! How would you see these practices being integrated into our business?

discuss, debate.

keep the fuck you's and fuck off's and other vulgar language at the door
thanks gang!

sunni said:

discuss, debate.

keep the fuck you's and fuck off's and other vulgar language at the door
thanks gang!

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some peope don't understand what that means...they do understand what F off means

Getting pretty strict in this place.......

I'm currently in the process of applying to become an LP. Only advice I can give to anyone is you will need a substantial investment to survive the first few years, depending on your business model (2-5MM min). The business will be rough, most LP's will not have it so easy as they will be the pioneers of this new industry and they will have to go through hell and back. Especially when the little guys start getting stomped/bought out by other companies coming in with 25-50 million dollar operations. I can't imagine what doctors will go through being hounded by hundreds of LP's, the CFPC may stop things and unless it's legalized (which it will not be, there's too many people with deep politically interests and deep pockets that won't let that happen even if it does help people, big pharma stands to lose way too much money and they will threaten by not funding certain organizations/people). LP's may be forced to export their products to the USA. I'm sure all LP's will be able to sell their product either way or they might get stuck storing it for a while, hopefully not having to destroy it for any reason. The WHO can put pressure on Canada as well, but we're only sitting in as an observer in the WHO. Can Health Canada's court order be reversed? Hopefully not. As an LP i'm all for legalizing marijuana and having it become a product like alcohol, LP's will basically be just like micro-breweries or a herbal supplement. If we're not responsible, they will take it away or not let it happen in the first place. If it wasn't for everyone growing 100's of plants in their homes in the first place, we may have been able to keep growing it. MMPR is only Health Canada's way of getting rid of liability from itself and put it onto the doctors. Good luck in your venture.

Welcome to the board Secret advocate
I kinda leaning the opposite way you are....with respect to the MMPR...if I have learned anything here at all
its that there are plenty of people willing to use patients as an excuse to break into an eventual legal market for recreational users...
So I hope you are not going to step on us too hard....like the majority of LP's seem to be willing to do.
and by all means sell your stuff to the states.....maybe they will want it....
I still holding out hope that the court order will get reversed and, if those willing to jump all over patients, to get a foot hold in the commercial market, lose their shirts in the mean time....then so be it...
this all could have been approached differently...but instead stomping the patients into the ground was the way the governments choose to deal with things and those who go along with the government to benefit themselves
should lose out too, just like the PC's will come election day.......

Cantnadadan, your insults and wishing harm on others is awful, any body who wishes failure on others is an asshole in my books. Your stance is weak and your ideas show just how clueless you are. How is your bullshit negativity helping anybody? You are doing patients that do not have the same choices as you a huge disservice. We get that you don't like the MMPR, your record has been skipping for months. How about allowing a little intelligent conversation happen without all the politics. How about putting patients and marihuana above your own twisted take, not every one wants to deal with BMJoe or can or want to grow their own. Your bullying does not promote a healthy environment to explore marihuana options. When you discriminate against some patients you hurt them all. When you use your twisted politics to wish harm on canadian families, you cross the line with me. Selfish, short sighted loud mouth, I never would have guessed you were in your 50's, your maturity level is more like spoiled 16.

Not sure what you were reading into what I had said....
If by losing their shirts you see that as wishing harm...so be it....
You guys choose the ship to sink in...not me....
and I do my best to mind my p and q's koot.....I just have some back bone and will walk the line I choose
and will not give in to the MMPR.no matter what.....
sorry it bothers you that I like to have my say to.....(bullshit negativity) so thanks for setting me straight
I know its not productive to you or your cause....but when I consider how much stress the whole situation has caused me....
cannabis is not worth it....

sunni said:

discuss, debate.

keep the fuck you's and fuck off's and other vulgar language at the door
thanks gang!

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Thanks for the good work sunni.