As the coronavirus continues to impact businesses worldwide, many states in the US are only allowing essential businesses to remain open until further notice. While some states are closing everything but grocery stores, hospitals, and the most essential of businesses, others are allowing essential cannabis dispensaries to remain open. In states where cannabis is legal for medical use, the plant is typically deemed essential and dispensaries are being treated like pharmacies – but this is not the case for all cannabis dispensaries throughout the US.
MEDICAL CANNABIS
Cannabis industry leaders believe that it would be detrimental to patients who rely on medical-use cannabis if access to the plant is removed. If patients are unable to access prescribed cannabis, it’s possible some may resort to black-market products. Black-market cannabis can be potentially harmful due to lack of quality testing, with the possibility for some products to contain pesticides or other dangerous contaminants.
In states with medical cannabis, access can be critical. Many cannabis products treat severe illnesses like chronic pain, chronic anxiety, PTSD, epilepsy, and many other conditions. If access is removed, patients would need to find other methods to relieve symptoms, but in many cases, patients have turned to medical-use cannabis because they have exhausted other options or are trying to avoid prescription treatments.
In California, dispensaries and cultivation facilities may remain open if allowed by their specific county’s rules. Other essential states include Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, and Washington.
RECREATIONAL CANNABIS
In adult-use states, many are encouraging local governments to ensure that medical-use patients are given priority over recreational purchases in the event of supply deficiencies. In states with both medical and recreational cannabis, some cannabis companies have decided on their own to dispense to medical patients only, despite no government guidance to do so. Some states, like Massachusetts, have even halted the sales of recreational cannabis all together.
OPERATIONAL CHANGES
Many states that are remaining open have adjusted their standard operational procedures by restricting the number of purchasers or patients inside of the facility at any one time. Recently, many states have begun to allow curbside pick-up for cannabis products to reduce contact between people.
Other states have also loosened restrictions to allow for home delivery so they can continue to provide products while limiting the number of people inside of the dispensary. They have also encouraged patients to place bulk orders or cannabis products to lower the number of trips made to a facility. One such state is Pennsylvania, where the state is allowing patients to purchase a 90-day supply, as well as providing telehealth for prescriptions.
As of now, many cultivation facilities, production facilities, distributors, and independent testing facilities have been allowed to continue operations but are required to follow strict social distancing guidelines and increase sanitizing practices.
Curaleaf, a national medical cannabis company, stated in a recent press release that they are following these rules by “maintaining the highest levels of hygiene protocol, using protective gear, masks, and gowning; continuing to use best in class procedures for cleaning and sanitizing cultivation and manufacturing areas, utensils and equipment, with increased frequency.”
Those who are unsure of their areas regulations during this time can click here or reach out to their local government for updated information.