One reasonable estimate is that over 100,000 British Columbians earn the major part of their income from the marijuana industry. Much of the trade is with the United States. British Columbia enjoys a unique comparative advantage over the United States in the marijuana market. Prices for marijuana are far in excess of production and transport costs. The reason is that marijuana is illegal.
Risk factors arise for which compensation is demanded.
That compensation is based on the relative risk of arrest and imprisonment while working in the industry. Until recently, there was relatively low risk of arrest, and imprisonment was rare for growers in British Columbia. Prices reflected this reality and many new entrants to the business developed. Investigations and exporting charges against smugglers were virtually unheard of. Most business people in British Columbia communities realized that many of the dollars passing through their tills were pot dollars.