Totally understandable. If you don't smoke often or have a low tolerance then ~$50 of dispensary bud will likely last you as long as a good bottle of whiskey lasts most people. I think prices are honestly fairly affordable for the occasional partaker. A bit high (pardon the pun), but quickly becoming reasonable.

I personally enjoy growing even though I don't smoke as often anymore. I like having flower that isn't super duper strong and having lots of it to either give away or make fun stuff with. But growing definitely isn't accessible for people living in small apartments, demanding work schedules or with children etc., so I can see why the demand is still there. I would also assume that outdoor grows are more difficult in MA than some places which ups the difficulty and initial investment.