Medical Cannabis Dispensaries Considered “Essential” Services in the U.S.

US state officials are recognizing medical cannabis dispensaries as “essential” services as several establishments close due to COVID-19. Over the past week, exceptions have been announced for some medical cannabis dispensaries to remain open in most states of the United States of America (USA).

At this time, more and more states and local authorities in the United States of America are declaring medical cannabis dispensaries “essential” services. At stake was the doubt regarding the mandatory closing of these establishments, given that, initially, only businesses considered “essential”, such as pharmacies and supermarkets, could remain open, forcing non-essential companies to close to help contain the spread of the coronavirus.

This recognition of cannabis as an “essential commodity” by the authorities comes as a relief to the medical cannabis businesses, many of which feared closure, as COVID-19 containment measures have become more stringent. With these measures, cannabis industry watchers say regulators are putting medical cannabis companies in a special category, above other mainstream businesses such as restaurants, bars and stores.

“It's not acceptable for other pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS to remain open while cannabis dispensaries have to close,” says Jason Erkes, a spokesman for Cresco Labs, an Illinois-based multi-state operator. “I think this is something that municipalities (and states) are taking into account”, he underlined.

Many customers rely on medical cannabis products to alleviate medical conditions such as chronic pain, epilepsy and post-traumatic stress disorder. However, recognition of medical cannabis dispensaries as “essential” is happening across the country and there is no way to predict how many jurisdictions will adopt similar measures.

Even temporary closures can prove devastating for some cannabis companies – particularly the weakest businesses.

At a time of “isolation” in the US and the world, these are some examples of official and tacit recognition of dispensaries as essential services:

• The New York State Department of Health said Tuesday that medical cannabis business are essential.
• The Ruler of Nevada, Steve Sisolak, ordered all non-essential business were closed for 30 days from noon on Wednesday. However, regulators said licensed recreational cannabis stores and medical cannabis dispensaries are allowed to remain open as long as they adhere to the strict social distancing protocols. License holders must not allow individuals to meet, with consumers encouraged to use delivery services or complete their orders online or over the phone.
• On Monday, the City of San Francisco demanded the closure of non-essential businesses, including all cannabis stores, but reversed the decision on Tuesday, claiming that cannabis dispensaries can remain open, but for collection and delivery purposes only.
• Several states are allowing the expansion of cannabis delivery services, a strategy that the cannabis business considers a form of official recognition that medical cannabis dispensaries have become an essential service at a time when the North American country and the rest of the world are creating their social isolation strategies due to the spread of coronavirus.
• Some rural communities, such as the mountainous areas of Colorado, including the counties of Gunnison e Summit, also allowed cannabis dispensaries to remain open this week, while reducing the number of non-essential businesses and activities such as catering.

Some medical cannabis advocacy groups and medical experts also insist that government officials allow medical cannabis dispensaries to remain open.

For example, the medical cannabis advocacy group 'Americans for Safe Access' last week sent a letter urging governors and state regulators to take immediate action to ensure medical cannabis services are not disrupted in emergency plans being created.

Also Dr. Peter Grinspoon, an instructor at Harvard Medical School, told The Boston Globe that while he believes Massachusetts should close as many businesses as possible, “we need to think very carefully about the fact that XNUMX people (within the state) are truly dependent on cannabis as a medicine. Depriving them of that would spell disaster,” Grinspoon said.

According to industry sources, the decline in recreational sales could cause a number of market disruptions if certain exceptions are not taken into account. This is because many customers are not registered as medical cannabis patients, despite using adult store products to treat health conditions, Erkes noted.

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