Although many have been caught off guard by the outbreak of COVID-19, businesses are having to adjust to the new reality to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. As states have issued stay-at-home orders and placed operating restrictions across entire industries, essential businesses are still in action providing vital goods and services. Essential grocery stores, hospitals, and pharmacies are hard at work – and in some states, cannabis facilities are considered essential too.
In California, the Bureau of Cannabis Control issued a notice stating, “cannabis is an essential medicine for many residents, licensees may continue to operate at this time as long as their operations comply with local rules and regulations.” Recently, the state saw legal cannabis sales increase by 159% compared with last year’s sales, with lines of cars and people wrapping around cannabis facilities.
BEST PRACTICES
For cannabis businesses remaining open during this time, it is crucial to keep distance between employees and purchasers to reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus. In some places like Seattle, fines are enforced if people do not adhere to social distancing guidance. Some dispensaries are placing tape on the floor inside and the ground outside of the facility to indicate a six-foot difference between purchasers and other dispensaries have added physical plexiglass barriers at contact points to create separation between purchasers and employees.
People are lining up in front of dispensaries eager to stock up on cannabis products, uncertain of when businesses and schools will reopen or if further restrictions are coming. Several dispensaries have even created drive-thrus in their parking lots to prevent customers from physically entering the store. An additional option to preventing purchasers from overcrowding facilities is to allow for call-ahead or online ordering with a specific pick-up time. This can assist cannabis businesses in avoiding long lines and close contact between purchasers or employees.
It is imperative that cannabis businesses also increase the cleaning and sterilizing of facilities. All frequently touched surfaces should be disinfected multiple times throughout the day to reduce the risk of the virus being spread by contact with common surfaces. This includes all door handles, cash registers, credit card machines, electronic touch screens, restrooms, and break areas. Employees should wash their hands regularly while working and should wear gloves when interacting with purchasers or currency. Employees should also be using hand sanitizer and sanitizing workstations between each purchaser transaction. Employees should refrain from working if they are feeling ill and should check their temperatures prior to working and exposing other employees or purchasers.
Lastly, cannabis businesses should stay up to date on the status of the virus and government restrictions in the area. Various states are allowing for telemedicine services as an alternative to in-person visits, and appointments can occur via phone or video conference. Telemedicine appointments are useful to reduce the risk of spreading the virus and could serve as a valuable option for doctors prescribing medicinal cannabis or for dispensaries that offer counselling to purchasers. Some patients have a higher risk of infection and may require caregivers to pick-up an order for them, so it would be beneficial for dispensaries to have forms for these scenarios prepared to ease this process.
Although many businesses have been caught unprepared for the global pandemic, many resources can be found to provide information on how to safely operate through this time. Businesses should continue sharing ideas on how to abide by an individual state’s rules, regulations, and restrictions through articles, blogs, social media, and webinars. This a time for everyone to work together and encourage safe practices until business returns to normal.