Dispensaries adjust to Coronavirus health concerns
The Illinois cannabis industry, like everything else, is adjusting to the coronavirus, COVID-19.
Many in the industry are worried about the safety of their medical patients, who with other underlining health concerns may be more vulnerable to illnesses.
Lines still have been long at most dispensaries and crowding can be an issue.
The state’s Department of Financial and Professional Regulation issued guidance Monday to dispensaries on how to help contain COVID-19.
Before Monday, dispensaries were only allowed to distribute marijuana products inside a limited access area to medical patients only.
Now until March 30, dispensary workers will be allowed to deliver curbside medical service (or in the parking lot), provided dispensaries follow certain guidelines, which may be found here.
If allowing patients and caregivers to purchase medical cannabis outside the limited access area, dispensaries must adhere to the following protocols:
- The exchange of cash and product must take place on the dispensary’s property or on a public walkway or at the curb of the street adjacent to the dispensary. Dispensaries may not deliver cannabis to a patient or caregiver’s home.
- The patient or caregiver’s card must be scanned prior to purchase and the purchase must be tracked in the state traceability system.
- The dispensary may take measures to protect agents and patients alike by not requiring patients and caregivers to physically hand their medical cannabis ID card to agents to be scanned, wearing gloves when handling cash, and giving employees frequent breaks to wash their hands thoroughly.
- Cash must be taken into the dispensary after each transaction.
- Security must be present for outdoor exchanges.
If patients, caregivers, or purchasers are bunching up, the dispensary must intervene to order them to space out,” said the guidance from Bret Bender, deputy director of the Cannabis Control Section in the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which regulates dispensaries.
The state also advised dispensaries to disinfect surfaces every 30 minutes. The stores must also ensure customers don’t come within six feet of other patrons, and the shops must keep medical and recreational lines separate.
“We’re disinfecting every door handle, keypad, counter, and high-traffic surface each hour with sanitizers that contain at least sixty percent alcohol to ensure that you have a clean, safe environment to shop,” Cresco Labs’ Sunnyside website announced on Facebook. “Every employee will be wearing gloves, washing their hands every hour, and making hand sanitizer available to customers to prevent contamination and transmission.”
Dispensaries are maintaining strict cleaning routines but also are implementing new changes to maintain a healthy environment.
Sunnyside dispensary in Champaign announced the dispensary is offering online ordering for recreational users “to cut down on public crowding.”
Sunnyside had already offered online ordering for medical patients and will keep that same policy.
For the welfare of all, management also is asking customers who currently have any flu-like symptoms to refrain from going out in public or visiting our store.
As part of the overall social distancing strategies, Sunnyside dispensary in the Lakeview neighborhood implemented a text-based check-in platform to cut down on interaction in the waiting area.
Dispensary 33 recently posted this announcement.
MOCA (Modern Cannabis), the recreational and medical cannabis dispensary in the Logan Square neighborhood announced today that MOCA has suspended all recreational sales until further notice. MOCA will continue sales to medical patients.
The Chicago Tribune reported CEO and co-owner Danny Marks said that because of the restrictions on large gatherings and the response from other organizations, they wanted to play it safe and “didn’t want to put our staff or medical patients in a position where they could be exposed to that many people.”
Mindful Dispensary in Addison, a medical only dispensary, is now offering a curbside service, in which the patients can ordered ahead and an employee will bring out the orders.
Thrive dispensaries in Anna and Harrisburg are limiting the amount of people inside the shops by lining customers up outside and spreading them farther apart.
The Cannabis Business Association of Illinois and state officials are discussing how to ensure patients can get their medication during a worsening COVID-19 outbreak.
No word if cannabis delivery services are being considered.
Marijuana delivery is not legal in Illinois, but some in the industry suggest it may be a viable option to help protect patients and the public overall.