Quick Hit: What Dispensaries Can Deduct According to 280E Tax

Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code states that businesses selling cannabis (or any other federally illegal controlled substance) cannot deduct any expenses incurred in the production, distribution, and sale of that product.

As long as marijuana is considered a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, cannabis companies are forced to abide by 280E.

What 280E means for your legal cannabis business

It means federal law doesn’t allow you to deduct many of the same expenses that a non-cannabis business can. It also means it costs more to operate a cannabis business.

The fact is, you’re going to be limited in what you can do under 280E until cannabis becomes federally legal or loses it's Schedule 1 drug status. Take 280E seriously while it’s in effect to avoid heavy legal penalties.

What you can deduct on your business tax return

Simply put, you can deduct cost of goods sold (COGS), which includes all the costs and expenses directly related to the production of goods.

Standalone cannabis retailers can claim deductions for:

• The invoice price for cannabis, less trade or other discounts.
• Any electric bills for designated inventory areas (electricity used in any sales area can’t be deducted).
• Transportation: The cost of travel to purchase cannabis and legal shipping costs associated with marijuana.

Since COGS are the only deductible business expense under 280E, make sure to deduct them!

If you're a cannabis cultivator or a vertically-integrated dispensary, see this 280E Deductible COGS guide from WURK for further deductions.

What you CAN'T deduct on your business tax return

Literally everything except COGS is not deductible for cannabis entrepreneurs, including (but not limited to):

• Rent
• Salaries
• Contract labor
• Equipment/equipment repairs
• Inventory costs
• Storage
• Interest
• Display cases
• Utilities
• Insurance
• Professional fees
• Licenses and fees
• Other ordinary business expenses not listed above

See a full list of non-deductibles here.

Note: Conduct careful analysis with your attorney before making any final decisions on what to deduct.

Keep accurate business deduction records

When dealing with federal law, the more detailed your records, the better.

Invest in good marijuana business management software to make record-keeping easier.

Cannabis-specific accounting software, like WURK, allows you to maximize labor deductions as well as back-of-house dispensary management software with detailed activity tracking.

And a solid relationship with an accounting firm that knows the cannabis industry well will be invaluable if/when you face an audit.

What if we reformed Section 280E?

Section 280E was created to prevent drug dealers from writing off their expenses, but it wasn’t intended to impact legitimate businesses.

You may be wondering why the government would continue using a tax law that negatively impacts small businesses. It's actually a mystery to us all because 280E also impacts their revenue.

In fact, if the government were to do away with Section 280E, they would see benefits in the long term. They'd receive less immediate cash, but an increase in federal tax receipts over 10 years.

Dispensaries would also see huge benefits, and so would their employees, communities, and customers. If cannabis business owners are allowed normal tax deductions, they could raise wages, provide better benefits, donate money, and lower their prices.

Ideally, this post will become obsolete in the near term, but for now, hopefully you have more understanding of how 280E impacts cannabis businesses, what you can and can't deduct, and resources for further learning.

Disclaimer: This post is intended to be educational only, and does not include legal advice. Talk to your lawyer or CPA to learn more about how 280E applies to your cannabis business.