According to a report from The Daily Caller, Grateful Dead jam legend Jerry Garcia’s family is moving the family pot business out of California; “we’re taking a pause in California,” a spokesperson said.
“We’re taking a pause in California,” a spokesperson for Garcia Hand Picked parent company Holistic Industries said. “We want to ensure California consumers have the highest quality flower for the long term, so we are choosing a new local partner for cultivation, production, sales and distribution of Garcia Hand Picked in CA.”
Jerry Garcia’s Grateful Dead weed brand is leaving California. Federal law blocks pot companies from deducting most business taxes from their federal taxes, making pot businesses pay an effective federal tax rate as high as 80%. https://t.co/lFj1gFaOH9
— Chronicutopia (@badboychronic) January 29, 2023
“This was a hard decision for them, they love California,” cannabis industry expert Andrew DeAngelo told the outlet. “They were born and bred here. This is very painful for them, I guarantee that.”
From The Daily Wire:
DeAngelo said the Garcia family is facing the same high-tax, high-crime realities as other Golden State entrepreneurs. Since 2020, California has seen an exodus of high-profile companies, with many going to red states with lower taxes and safer streets.
“Not only is Garcia leaving, a lot of people are leaving,” he said. “It’s a real shame California is losing out.”
The Garcia Hand Picked brand of marijuana will still be sold in Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, Massachusetts, and Oregon.
California, which has a 15% sales tax on marijuana, has reaped over $4 billion in tax revenue since legalizing pot. It also collects money from retail licenses, which can cost $100,000 annually, taxes on growers, and local taxes which are in addition to the state levies. But legal cannabis companies complain that the state doesn’t do enough to crack down on the black market, allowing unfair competition to flourish.
More over at The Daily Wire:
Grateful Dead Legend Jerry Garcia’s Family Pulls Pot Business Out Of California Over Taxes https://t.co/Ot15KFinG7 pic.twitter.com/6qRV34b7uz
— Daily Wire News (@DailyWireNews) January 31, 2023