The growing global health crisis known as COVID-19, or coronavirus, has taken the world into a series of taking precautionary measures to stop the pandemic. This has become an essential task in our everyday lives, and the cannabis community is not exempt. The following are steps you should follow to avoid contracting and/or spreading coronavirus.
Wash your hands - like really, wash your hands
Everyone has been stressing this to one another but please take caution and WASH. YOUR. HANDS. Hand sanitizer and washing your hands with soap has been proven to kill off germs and viruses in as quick as a minute. Handwashing helps prevent the spread of infections and is something we should all do anyway. When you need to go out in public, it is advised to wash your hands as often as possible and if you have disposable gloves to wear, you should. This goes without saying, but you should also try to avoid touching many things in public so be cautious of what you touch and how quickly you can disinfect yourself.
Stop sharing your marijuana products for the time being
In cannabis culture, it is pretty standard that you light up a joint and pass it around the room. During this crisis, we are throwing all common decency out the window if it can’t be done from a distance. This means not sharing your joint, blunt, bowl, bong, or even edibles with anyone. Although you or your mates may not be showing any symptoms of the virus - do not take any chances. If you and your roommates are in self-quarantine and want to individually spark up a personal joint, why not? Just keep your weed to yourself and try not to come into close contact with others unless you absolutely have to.
Social distancing during Coronavirus is most definitely a thing
We are living in a time where the mantra has become, “If you love someone, love them from a distance”. But really - if you care about yourself and others around you, practicing social distance is the best form of affection. Coronavirus is more prone to be worse in elderly and immunity-compromised people, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take precautionary measures if this doesn’t apply to you. Everyone in the world is practicing social distancing because it is all we can do. You can be a hero by simply sitting on your couch and rewatching all 31 seasons of the Simpsons. It’s time to binge-watch like never before. Work from home if you are able to. Limit the number of times you have to be in public. Go to the grocery store, pharmacy or important appointments only. No bars or cafes, you can even have virtual dates from home! Distance makes the heart grow fonder!
Can I go to the dispensary during Coronavirus?
Check your area and find out what the protocol is like at your local dispensary. States like San Francisco and New York have already considered dispensaries on their essential list of businesses to stay open. Dispensaries must take precautions when serving medical marijuana patients, so try to be considerate and follow instructions when visiting a dispensary during coronavirus .
How to help the elderly during Coronavirus?
Please try to also be aware of any elderly around you, as they might need some assistance. If you have the means, think about helping them with a trip to the grocery store or picking up their medication from the pharmacy. This could mean you asking for their grocery list and medication pick-up number so that you can run their errands and they can stay safe indoors. We are not promoting you to come into close contact with the elderly at this time, but you can still help while social distancing yourself. Drop the groceries and prescriptions off to their front door, tell them to leave their trash outside on a certain day and you’ll pick it up, etc. Loving from a distance is what we all need right now, especially those that are not as capable as we are.
Smoking and a virus = not a good combo
We are not promoting smoking cannabis if you feel that you are sick and having respiratory issues. There are other ways to consume cannabis that may be a much safer way to get high when you’re feeling low. Try edibles, tinctures or CBD to help subside your symptoms as smoke can irritate the lungs and make your symptoms worse.
If you feel healthy, please keep in mind that coronavirus is highly contagious and that you may be asymptomatic and unknowingly pass it along to the people closest to you if you’re not careful enough, so for the time being, do not pass that joint. Cannabis is probably a great remedy for our nerves at this time, but try to think long-term if you have any sort of flu or cold-like symptoms.
We’re all in this together
Times are tough right now but we must show strength and compassion for others. The cannabis industry is going to be impacted by the coronarivus pandemic , especially as dispensaries become deemed essential businesses by many states. We must remember that we are all being affected by this. Whether or not you are sick or think you might be at risk, please take these precautionary measures seriously. Someone else that has a weaker immune system could become ill if others do not abide by social distancing tactics, so please do your part. What’s been your craziest experience so far during this global health crisis?