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Charlotte’s Web (TSX:CWEB) is down 25% in the last five days but has flattened out as we hit the midweek point. But these kinds of moves aren’t unheard of for even the top Canadian cannabis producers. Yes, the current bear market is hitting the legal marijuana industry. But in some ways, it’s business as usual for cannabis investors. Pot company stockholders have learned to take massive share price swings in their stride.

From event cancellations to supply chain disruptions, here's all you need to know about the coronavirus and the hemp industry.

It’s unclear what the total economic impact of the coronavirus will be, but one thing is for sure: The hemp industry will not be immune to market effects that will reverberate for weeks, if not months, to come.  

Some changes brought on by the novel virus might bolster the nascent hemp industry, but it could also bring additional challenges and obstacles for the nascent hemp industry.  

People stocked up before lockdowns went into effect, and delivery is strong — but as the coronavirus pandemic progresses, cannabis businesses aren’t in the clear

On a rainy evening in Los Angeles, the flagship store for Genius, a cannabis brand catering to hipsters and tourists on Melrose Avenue, is empty. A lone budtender wearing latex gloves stands behind glass display cases in the middle of the showroom, surrounded by vapes and edibles and jars of flower.

“Our top priority is to minimize the risk of and protect as many people as possible from exposure to COVID-19,” said Toi Hutchinson, Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s senor adviser for cannabis control.

Officials announced Tuesday that cannabis retailers can sell medical pot outside dispensaries until the end of the month to protect patients who may be susceptible to the coronavirus.

Between city and state taxes, customers at cannabis retailers aren’t always the happiest when they see the final price at the counter. But Jay Handal of Erba Markets, a cannabis retailer in Los Angeles, says there’s not much he can do.

“I do have to deflect a lot of anger because it’s really geared at us. People thinking we’re price-gouging them when, in fact, we’re just charging the taxes that the government level tells us we have to charge,” Handal said.

The cannabis sector continues to struggle along with other sectors as the coronavirus pandemic continues. The global economy is at a halt as countries take precautions to contain the spread of the virus. The US stock market closed with a loss of 10.9% on March 16. Meanwhile, the Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences ETF (TSE:HMMJ) closed with a loss of 4.5%. Like many other industries, the cannabis industry has manufacturing operations in China. The coronavirus outbreak revealed some of the pitfalls in the marijuana supply chain.

Malawi is the latest African country to change its laws on cannabis. Guess which one is next.

Marijuana legalization has made significant progress over the years, and Malawi is the latest country to permit its use. The African country of about 19 million people will now allow cannabis to be used in medicine and in the creation of hemp fibers. While it doesn't permit the recreational use of marijuana, it's another significant step forward for Africa, where Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and South Africa have all loosened their laws relating to cannabis.

Edibles. Dabs. Whiskey. Ammo?

People are making a mad dash to stock up for potential 14-day quarantines as COVID-19 spreads in our communities. Sure, you need enough food. But for many people, cannabis is a medicine, wellness product, and/or boredom killer.