Multiple cannabis companies are using their production facilities to churn out hand sanitizers and other invaluable products to join in the nation-wide effort to curb the spread of the fatal Covid-19.
Hand Sanitizers and Masks on the way to fight COVID-19!
Care by Design, a leading cannabis extractor in California, well known for their sprays, gel caps, and vaping products, has repurposed a portion of their manufacturing unit to produce hand sanitizers.
Jim Hourigan, the CEO of Care By Design’s parent company CannaCraft, said, “When we started hearing reports of a shortage in hand sanitizers, we knew that we could be of assistance without negatively impacting our employees or our operations.” They have already sent out about 5,000 tubes of hand sanitizer to Bay Area hospitals and police departments with another 20,000 on the way.
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CannaCraft chemists combined ethanol and other medical-grade alcohol with aloe vera which they already had at their plant and followed the FDA guidance documents to prepare the solution that is in extreme high demand now due to its anti-viral properties.
Another Bay Area cannabis retailer, SPARC has also begun producing hand sanitizers and has donated ten gallons of it to San Francisco and Sonoma hospitals.
Jahlibyrd, a cannabis manufacturer in Nevada County, has partnered with South Fork Vodka to make hand sanitizers as well. They are also using their production facilities to produce protective face masks for the medical staff at the frontline of this war.
“We are donating to multiple different first responders. We’re in touch with three different firehouses, the Sheriff’s department and two to three different medical clinics, as well the CEO of Dignity Health,” said Sky Rutherford, Jahlibyrd’s head of construction.
Moreover, the company has also donated a 7,000 square-foot building to their local hospital for surge capacity, and 5,000 square-feet of space to the Nevada County food bank.
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Several Food Banks being opened by Cannabis Firms
With food scarcity on the rise, compounded by millions of people losing their daily livelihood, cannabis companies are also coming forward to donate to food banks. Santa Barbara’s local cannabis farming industry group has started the 93013 Fund and has donated $20,000 to procure help for the locals.
The Glass House Group has decided to donate 5% of product sales from its Santa Barbara adult-use store to the Santa Barbara Foodbank.
Sava, a delivery service in California, is donating 10% of sales for providing protective equipment to medical workers.
ZoneIn CBD, owned by NFL player Lofa Tatupu, has said that the company will donate $5 of all purchases to Food Lifeline.
DefyCBD has also donated $400,000 to Feeding America.
Additionally, some companies have decided to help medical cannabis patients from low-income groups by reducing the price of their purchases. This is especially helpful as many Americans are grappling with the possibility of a month-long lockdown with no income in hand.
On March 30th, Barbary Coast in San Francisco sold compassion eighth-ounces from Sherbinskis for $1, instead of the regular $75. They are expected to bring similar sales in the coming weeks as well.
Marijuana farmers in many places have donated their pest control gowns to doctors and nurses who are running out of protective gear in hospitals. The healthcare personnel are at maximum risk of being infected with the virus due to their continuous proximity with afflicted patients.
Although not exactly designed for hospital usage, these gowns are definitely proving life-saving facilities for these doctors.
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The legal marijuana industry in America is estimated to be worth $10.73 billion and like other corporate sectors, they too are doing their bit to mitigate the global disaster.
Retail orders for cannabis have skyrocketed since the outbreak worsened as most people are bound by stay-at-home orders. With less staff available at manufacturing plants, weed retailers are finding it difficult to keep up the supply chain.
Yet, they are volunteering to produce other things like sanitizers and masks since that is the need of the hour.
The Covid-19 outbreak has already claimed more than 22,000 lives in America and hospitals and clinics are beginning to run out of supplies and staff. Repurposing existing facilities for necessary provisions by cannabis makers will certainly go a long way in saving many lives.
