Americans can purchase pet supplies, medication and even alcohol online, so why not marijuana?
That thought is crossing many Coloradans’ minds as calls for the general public to practice social distancing have spurred a trend in online shopping for cannabis products.
Cannabis is illegal under federal law in the US. However, CBD or cannabidiol products are legal since the US made hemp and derivatives legal in 2018. The FDA doesn’t allow CBD products to be used as a food derivative. Notably, the FDA has always been hesitant about how some cannabis companies are marketing CBD products. The marketing violates some of the FDA’s laws and puts consumers’ health and safety at risk.
The cannabis industry is currently in a remarkable and unprecedented position. Attitudes toward legal consumption and market penetration are at an all-time high, but this momentum is not necessarily reflected in recent investor attitudes. Although the recent cannabis market downturn does not mean the green rush is over, it does leave many institutional and retail investors wary of who they should give their money to.
As the global death toll continues to rise from the coronavirus pandemic and anxiety for Americans escalates along with the unemployment rate, operators of cannabis dispensaries across the country have reported that business is booming.
North America’s licensed marijuana companies are reporting major losses as users continue to buy from black-market dealers despite the legalisation of the drug.
Recreational cannabis use has been allowed under Canadian law since October 2018, but it remains illegal for any unlicensed person to be a seller.
Yet up to 42.7% of users still buy at least some of their stash from illegal sources, according to a survey last year by the country’s national statistics agency.
When San Francisco announced its "shelter in place" order this week, it said only "essential businesses" could remain open to support the public's needs, such as grocery stores and gas stations. Missing from that list were marijuana dispensaries.
But a day after residents were told to stay home, the city revised its position and deemed cannabis "an essential medicine," allowing stores to open.
Toilet paper, hand sanitizer and food aren’t the only things flying off the shelves amid the coronavirus scare in Southern California. Marijuana is the latest addition to the consumer stockpile.
Right now, all across the US, the President, state governors, and local officials are ordering everyone to go home and stay there. They’re trying to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which threatens to overwhelm the US healthcare system in the coming weeks.
Millions of Americans are taking mental inventory of their preferred indoor hobbies.
Trust me, Leafly’s California editor: Cannabis gardening should really be at the top of the list.
