California legalized cannabis — then taxed it into the black market. State excise tax, sales tax, and local taxes stack up to 25–33% on every purchase. It's time to fix that.
When California voters legalized cannabis in 2016, the promise was a regulated, taxed market that would undercut the black market and generate revenue for schools and public health. Instead, the tax burden has driven consumers back to untaxed illegal sources.
Legal dispensary customers pay a 15% state excise tax, plus 7.25–10.25% sales tax, plus local cannabis taxes that can add another 5–15%. The total regularly exceeds 33%.
$16.75 in taxes on a $50 purchase — that's 33.5%
The Number That Says It All
of your purchase price goes to taxes — not the product
Reduce the state cannabis excise tax from 15% to a competitive rate that keeps legal dispensaries viable against the untaxed black market.
High taxes are closing licensed dispensaries across California. A lower rate means more legal jobs, more regulated products, and safer communities.
Colorado and other states found that lower cannabis tax rates actually increased total revenue by bringing buyers back to the legal market.
Show California lawmakers that voters demand a fair cannabis tax rate. Every name counts.