Cannabis Companies Donate Personal Protective Equipment to Combat Coronavirus
Cannabis companies from Canada and the United States have stepped up to help fight the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. These businesses have donated personal protective equipment (PPE) to medical facilities in need.
Canadian Producers Supply Masks and Gloves to Healthcare Workers
Hospitals across Canada have been experiencing a shortage of PPE, forcing medical staff to reuse protective gear and increasing the risk of infection. To help address this issue, cannabis producer Canopy Growth donated several thousand gloves, Tyvek protective suits, and masks that were stored at cannabis farms in British Columbia.
Hexo provided doctors with 150 masks, while Organigram supplied 500 liters of alcohol to a plant in New Brunswick for the production of disinfectant. Village Farms, Aphria, TerrAscend, and CannTrust are currently taking inventory to determine how much PPE they can donate to clinics. However, Aurora Cannabis, Organigram, and Tilray are unable to support hospitals at this time because their PPE supplies are running low.
Colorado Cannabis Firms Shift to Producing Cotton Swabs
Colorado State Senator Cory Gardner announced that cannabis businesses in the state have donated masks, gloves, and ventilators to healthcare workers. Some industrial cannabis processing plants have switched to manufacturing cotton swabs, and distilleries have started producing disinfectants. The senator did not specify the names of the companies involved.
Pandemic Delays Cannabis Legislation in the U.S.
Due to the pandemic, U.S. legislative bodies have paused consideration of regulations governing the cannabis industry. In Colorado, the adoption of a decree to protect banks serving cannabis producers has been postponed. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo also had to delay a cannabis tour, during which he planned to visit states that have legalized cannabis to learn from their experience in regulating the recreational market.
Cannabis Sales Continue to Grow
Last week, cannabis stores in Michigan generated $5.8 million in revenue, which is $1 million more than the amount recorded from March 9 to 15. In February, California retailer Harborside saw its revenue increase by 130% compared to January, and the number of new customers grew by 142%. Americans are stocking up on cannabis in anticipation of extended isolation and the potential closure of all legal cannabis outlets.