Cannabis flower is on display for sale during an event at Hold Up Roll Up cannabis dispensary in Albany on April 20, 2025.

In the debate over the illegal influx of out-of-state cannabis, the focus has largely been on bad actors: smugglers, shady operators and underground networks. These individuals must be held accountable, and enforcement is essential.

But there’s another side of the story: The movement of out-of-state cannabis products into the state — what we call “inversion” — isn’t just about supply; it’s about demand. And in New York, that demand is going unmet by the legal market.

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Consumers are the real engine behind inversion. Over the past 18 months, flower and pre-roll products have accounted for roughly 50% of all legal cannabis units sold in New York, according to Lit Alerts, a cannabis market data service. Within that, there is a strong and consistent preference among New York buyers for high-quality indoor flower — prized for its potency, visual appeal and consistency. Yet this type of product remains in short supply........

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