Amid the coronavirus pandemic, many cannabis companies have seen a spike in sales and are staying busy despite many states enacting a shelter-in-place order. In many states, cannabis businesses are even deemed essential, requiring these facilities to enforce social distancing and increase their cleaning procedures to ensure employees and purchasers are safe. But these cannabis companies are not just supplying cannabis products – during the pandemic, many of these cannabis companies are helping to produce and donate high-demand healthcare items, like hand sanitizers and protective equipment.
Life saving items for healthcare professionals have become scarce. Producers of these products were not prepared for a pandemic to sweep the shelves, and significant shortages have made it difficult for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to perform their jobs safely. In response to these shortages, many companies, including cannabis businesses, have looked for ways that they could make a difference.
HAND SANITIZER
In California, CannaCraft is now producing hand sanitizers in addition to their cannabis products. The company is formulating hand sanitizing using ethanol used in the production of their normal cannabis products at their facility. Despite reassigning employees for the new production, the facility reported that they are keeping up regular production of their cannabis products. So far, they have made 25,000 bottles for nursing homes and senior centers in the state.
Hawaiian company, Aloha Green Apothecary, has also been producing hand sanitizer. The company has been able to supply their employees and purchasers with hand sanitizer and plans to increase production in order to donate as much as possible to other businesses and organizations in the state. According to the company, they have a significant supply of ethanol available and want to help their community during this time.
OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS
Other high-demand healthcare products that are in high-demand are PPE or isolation gowns, which are commonly used throughout many cannabis cultivation facilities for pest control. Glass House Group, a cannabis cultivator based in California, has donated 1,000 of these gowns to a local hospital out of Santa Barbara. The company’s dispensary, Farmacy Santa Barbra, has also started a food bank to provide kids healthy lunches while school is out. Since many families depend on schools to provide meals to their children throughout the year, this has been a huge relief for families who simply cannot afford paying for additional food.
Crazy Calm, a CBD coffee brand, has stated that for every online order through the month of March, all profits will be donated to Direct Relief, a nonprofit working to equip doctors and nurses with life-saving medical resources. Crazy Calm felt that since Direct Relief already had long-standing track record for medical donations, that they would be well-suited to ensure supplies went where they were needed most. Direct Relief has already delivered protective masks, exam gloves, and isolation gowns to healthcare organizations in areas impacted by coronavirus.
Aside from donations of hand sanitizers, isolation gowns, food, and funds, many cannabis companies are helping in other ways as well. Some dispensaries have implemented specific hours for seniors or other high-risk populations to ensure crowds are reduced and purchasers can shop with less contact with others. Other cannabis companies are providing discounts for first responders and healthcare professionals on cannabis products or are donating some of their profits to coronavirus response. Although the coronavirus has impacted communities worldwide, everyone is working together to get through this difficult time, including in the cannabis industry.