Inside California’s Black Market Weed Boom

California voters approved recreational marijuana five years ago, joining a club that has now grown to 18 states and Washington, D.C. The hope was legalization would eventually put illicit operations out of business. But instead, the opposite is happening: The underground market is booming, causing some to warn the regulated system is teetering toward collapse.

Business owners face steep taxes and costly red tape, and consumers are finding that better deals can be had outside of licensed stores. We embedded with law enforcement during raids of outlaw operations and spoke with illegal growers and dealers about the market realities in California’s weed economy.

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49 Comments

  1. 4A3K2 on March 25, 2022 at 6:06 pm

    The Complete story weed is illegale in most of the world because it is a big money maker and hard to controll it for the Government this mafia want from Everything a piece of that cake without doing something fick den staaattt



  2. Gregory Magyar on March 25, 2022 at 6:07 pm

    Right here! A perfect example of agents that should be investing their time in fentanyl trafficking, human trafficking, etc.. and they waste their time on pot. It makes me sick the greed in this country. Smart people, hard working people are forced to have to cover for the lazy, uneducated ones. I cannot believe they waste their time on this. Another example the Constitution needs to be rewritten!



  3. hitler on March 25, 2022 at 6:08 pm

    on



  4. AntiCringe on March 25, 2022 at 6:08 pm

    Thats why you should just make it fucking LEGAL, then just buying an actual building wouldn’t be illegal.



  5. BoxoBozo on March 25, 2022 at 6:09 pm

    This is just one little reason that socialism is bad. The state wants to control every little thing.



  6. Jizzle1600 on March 25, 2022 at 6:12 pm

    Police always fucking with people



  7. John Mann on March 25, 2022 at 6:13 pm

    Libertarians: legalize it and tax it. Windfall for the government…

    Conservatives: that won’t work….



  8. SHAKRA OPERA on March 25, 2022 at 6:14 pm

    These colonizers wanna label it illegal
    Then they want to complain again when they make it legal that we should only buy their over taxed product from them how original ?



  9. 荒野农夫 on March 25, 2022 at 6:15 pm

    😋



  10. ImCaliBro24 on March 25, 2022 at 6:15 pm

    lmao they think they’ll stop us tho 😂 we’ve been doing this for generations



  11. Ivaylo Ignatov on March 25, 2022 at 6:16 pm

    why do you care if they are growing weed without your certificate?? I know that Americans are greedy beyond belife but really, why do you care….. Just leave them grow their weed and leave the people alone. This story is from a greedy person that does not like the fact that other people are making money and not sharing with them…. I’m sorry but your whole idea about weed is wrong, it should not only be legal for use and it should be free of any monatary price, the f…ing thing grows everywhere and does not take much to grow it…. But ofcourse America has to make money from everyting even from listening to your personal converastions…



  12. laura s on March 25, 2022 at 6:17 pm

    Fun fact: it’s legal to grow up to six plants on your property in Washington D.C. where our governing laws are made but a federal offense nationwide. The hypocrisy!



  13. M.A B on March 25, 2022 at 6:19 pm

    Just legalize it in the whole country



  14. drug addict on March 25, 2022 at 6:19 pm

    very nice, i like weed



  15. 1911leslie on March 25, 2022 at 6:20 pm

    Leave growers alone. You pigs tend to pig work.



  16. Ivaylo Ignatov on March 25, 2022 at 6:21 pm

    why do you care if they are growing weed without your certificate?? I know that Americans are greedy beyond belife but really, why do you care….. Just leave them grow their weed and leave the people alone. This story is from a greedy person that does not like the fact that other people are making money and not sharing with them…. I’m sorry but your whole idea about weed is wrong, it should not only be legal for use and it should be free of any monatary price, the f…ing thing grows everywhere and does not take much to grow it…. But ofcourse America has to make money from everyting even from listening to your personal converastions…



  17. The grass man that eats grass on March 25, 2022 at 6:21 pm

    The federal stalemate on the plant will collapse the legal market. If the dems don’t act now, we’ll have to wait another fucking generation for any legalization progress to happen.



  18. Tom Zart on March 25, 2022 at 6:23 pm

    POT FARMER SONG $$
    I got out my pipe and stuffed it with pot
    You better believe, it held a whole lot.
    I whipped out a lighter and thumbed up a flame
    Then sucked down that smoke which comforts my brain.

    I tried alcohol; and smoked cigarettes
    Though, they did nothing, but give me regrets.
    My mom had arthritis and couldn’t walk around
    When I rolled her a joint, she danced on the ground.

    I thought I was losing my lovemaking knack
    But, after I smoked some, to me it came back.
    Soon I decided prices were high
    So I searched for some ground I wouldn’t have to buy.

    I bargained for seeds from smokers all around
    Then, got in my truck and drove out of town.
    I walked through the woods where the wild birds nest
    And found me the meadow I thought was the best.

    I dug up the ground and sowed all my seeds
    Then said a small prayer for strong, healthy weeds.
    I watered at night with a five-gallon pail
    The mosquitoes went hungry for I wore a veil.

    Seven months went by; I thought I would die
    Till the Halloween moon was high in the sky.
    At night I went out, in my camouflage suit
    And used a corn knife to chop down the loot.

    I hung it up to dry where it couldn’t be found.
    Then came back and got it, when it had turned brown.
    I trimmed off the buds, and stuffed them in bags
    Called all my friends and passed out free drags.

    In less than a week my crop was gone
    But I flew to St. Thomas with a love hungry blonde!!

    By Tom Zart
    Most Published Poet On The Web
    Tom’s 1,650 Poems Are Free To Share!
    Google = Most Published Poet
    Google = George Bush Tom Zart
    Tom Zart



  19. Vatorman on March 25, 2022 at 6:23 pm

    The government hates competition.



  20. Kc Stafford on March 25, 2022 at 6:24 pm

    Better to grow it here than send money to Columbia



  21. Gregory Magyar on March 25, 2022 at 6:27 pm

    Leave people alone with their pot. The government does not deserve every tax dollar and neither do the people that never bought a bag of weed in their life!



  22. Judy De on March 25, 2022 at 6:29 pm

    Everything is collapsing under Democrat high taxes and massive burdensome woke BS democrat regulations from hell. These people don’t want us FREE they want us under their thumb what did Obama say that he wants to put his boot on our necks , while your neck is the weakest part of your body , that’s how you kill somebody you break their neck that’s what the Democrats are doing to America ( KILLING IT ) how’s that grocery bill coming people mine is over $600 a week , it used to be $250 a week . How’s that gasoline Val they want to increase prices seven times what they currently are they want to get rid of meat they want you to eat bugs I kid you not meanwhile they drink $5000 bottle wine daily filet mignon lobster large sea scallops caviar nothing but the best for a politician devils the Democrats are doing this all and also now some puke Rinos Republicans are also following in their footsteps well the people have had it NO MORE !!!! Preacher PaulD remember Jesus loves you pray to God in the name of Jesus pray to the Holy Spirit which is the spirit of God to help you remember Jesus says I leave you now yet the helper is coming soon to help you that is the Holy Spirit pray to the Holy Spirit to help you die to yourself serve God and you will be better than you are today. Preacher PaulD 🕊❤️✝️🙏👍



  23. hitler on March 25, 2022 at 6:29 pm

    ?



  24. TopHeavy on March 25, 2022 at 6:31 pm

    Just let the market self-regulate. Then no problem.



  25. private stox on March 25, 2022 at 6:35 pm

    1:26 damn that’s gotta be more than an eighth behind him.



  26. C B on March 25, 2022 at 6:35 pm

    Grow your own. You will appreciate it more. Plus the gov is gonna ruin the market like everything else they touch.



  27. K.C Richmord on March 25, 2022 at 6:36 pm

    In Oklahoma is the same. Producing a lot illegality. Bosses don’t pay to wokers.



  28. Nicholas Hazlett on March 25, 2022 at 6:40 pm

    These Growers are a net positive for America. Corporation so-called hijack water and pollute. Good marijuana was legalized for recreational use on a federal level this would not be happening. Maybe vice should do a story on the actuality of the impact



  29. Mr. Fr0zak on March 25, 2022 at 6:40 pm

    Let’s say a handle of jack daniels cost $50 in the store.

    Now imagine if you could call your neighbor and they would bring you that exact same handle delivered to your front door for $19.

    People gonna call the neighbor every time..



  30. Terrance Wiley on March 25, 2022 at 6:43 pm

    Seems like a waste of tax payers money.



  31. Tom Nut on March 25, 2022 at 6:43 pm

    Black market will always be there, bust 1 big grower and 12 take his place.



  32. x-_Bandit_-x _ on March 25, 2022 at 6:44 pm

    If the government didnt put insane taxes on legal weed and made it as affordable and yet profitable for the growers and sellers problem gone. The more the government gets involved in anything the more fucked and unaffordable it gets.



  33. Ae Lee on March 25, 2022 at 6:44 pm

    How about you guys do an episode on how corrupt the cops are?



  34. Local Council Jobsworth on March 25, 2022 at 6:45 pm

    "Get the government off my back and out of my pocket"



  35. locdasmoke on March 25, 2022 at 6:46 pm

    No cannabis grow should be illegal



  36. hitler on March 25, 2022 at 6:46 pm

    Cartel



  37. iitssjay on March 25, 2022 at 6:47 pm

    My city !!!!😂😂😂



  38. phil cudworth on March 25, 2022 at 6:47 pm

    Just legalise it worldwide and leave us alone. Its an absolute embarrassment. Its a plant ffs. It grows.



  39. Ivaylo Ignatov on March 25, 2022 at 6:48 pm

    why do you care if they are growing weed without your certificate?? I know that Americans are greedy beyond belife but really, why do you care….. Just leave them grow their weed and leave the people alone. This story is from a greedy person that does not like the fact that other people are making money and not sharing with them…. I’m sorry but your whole idea about weed is wrong, it should not only be legal for use and it should be free of any monatary price, the f…ing thing grows everywhere and does not take much to grow it…. But ofcourse America has to make money from everyting even from listening to your personal converastions…



  40. Harsh Joshi on March 25, 2022 at 6:49 pm

    Dispo in Michigan are not bad tbh weed is cheaper in dispo then reg people here



  41. Chthonian121 on March 25, 2022 at 6:50 pm

    Armenians lmaooo



  42. K.C Richmord on March 25, 2022 at 6:51 pm

    Nation under God. Justice for all. It will come from God. Some people still on time to get out of this business. Before is to late.



  43. K.C Richmord on March 25, 2022 at 6:52 pm

    Doing deep research, asking God about this. The answer was that marihuana is bad only the devil and dicipulos want this weeds. Justice come upon all growers and bosses.



  44. Keivan E.Khatir on March 25, 2022 at 6:58 pm

    License them and tax them, problem solved



  45. Lashon Terry Latchinson Jr on March 25, 2022 at 7:00 pm

    Bro it’s free to grow and free to smoke. Just dumb



  46. Hairy Paratestes on March 25, 2022 at 7:01 pm

    It’s only an illegal operation because the state didn’t get their cut in the form of a tax.



  47. Mark Palmer on March 25, 2022 at 7:02 pm

    Use environmental laws to take them down.



  48. berbras Gareth on March 25, 2022 at 7:03 pm

    👋Hello Mrs Jane is legit and her method works like magic I keep on earning every single week with her new strategy



  49. Anti Bull on March 25, 2022 at 7:04 pm

    Wwwhhaaat? You mean legalizing weed wouldn’t do all of the amazing things it claimed?
    Gee who would have thought that giving the screaming child what they want whenever they want it would have negative consequences?