The cannabis industry is sitting on a ticking time bomb – one that’s been quietly growing for years while most operators look the other way.

Accounts receivable (AR) are ballooning to unsustainable levels, and beyond a few informal “blacklisted” groups on social media, no one is talking about the financial chokehold this is putting on the supply chain.

Right now, more than $2.24 billion in AR is circulating through the industry, based on data collected by CannaBiz Credit Association, a cannabis-specific credit reporting platform.

The problem has metastasized over the past four years, and while the bulk of outstanding AR sits mainly in three states, the data makes one thing clear: As markets mature and wholesale prices crash, delinquent payments surge.

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