INCOME TAXES

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

INCOME TAXES

9. INCOME TAXES

The following table summarizes the Company’s income tax expense and effective tax rates for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022:

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2023			2022
Income before Income Taxes	$	19,083		$	25,592
Income Tax Expense	(28,320)			(25,515)
Effective Tax Rate	148		%	100		%

The effective tax rates for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 were based on the Company’s forecasted annualized effective tax rates and were adjusted for discrete items that occurred within the periods presented. Net discrete tax items of $4,847 and $1,970 were recorded during the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Discrete items recorded during the three months ended March 31, 2023 primarily relate to penalties and interest on unpaid tax liabilities, the permanent impacts of stock compensation, and book remeasurement adjustments not recognized for tax purposes.

Due to its cannabis operations, the Company is subject to the limitations of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) Section 280E under which the Company is only allowed to deduct expenses directly related to sales of product. This results in permanent differences between ordinary and necessary business expenses deemed non-allowable under Section 280E of the Code. Therefore, the effective tax rate can be highly variable and may not necessarily correlate with pre-tax income and the Company's effective tax rates are well in excess of statutory tax rates.

Taxes paid during the three months ended March 31, 2023 were $36,394. No Taxes were paid during the three months ended March 31, 2022.