Cannabis Companies’ Efforts to Fight COVID-19: Donating Protective Supplies
The coronavirus pandemic has left almost no one untouched. In these challenging times, cannabis companies across the US and Canada are stepping up to support healthcare workers by providing essential supplies to protect them from the virus.
Cannabis growers, extractors, and lab technicians understand the importance of maintaining the purity of the cannabis they handle. To achieve this, they use special protective equipment, including masks, gowns, gloves, and other personal protection equipment (PPE). However, these items are currently in short supply for health workers and hospitals. In response, several cannabis companies are finding innovative ways to contribute to the fight against the coronavirus.
Notable Examples of Cannabis Companies’ Commitment to Health
- Glass House Group: Donating Medical Gowns to a California Hospital
Glass House Group, like many other cannabis companies, employs PPE gowns in its cultivation facilities. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the company’s president, Graham Farrar, generously donated a significant number of gowns to Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara.
Glass House Group donated 1,000 protective PPE gowns and is sourcing extra masks for frontline healthcare workers battling COVID-19.
Beyond its contributions to the medical community, Glass House Group’s dispensary, the Farmacy Santa Barbara, has initiated a Food Bank give-back program. This thoughtful initiative ensures that children can still receive nutritious lunches while schools are closed due to the pandemic. Additionally, the company made a charitable contribution of $20,000 to its local growers’ industry association CARP, which aims to raise $200,000 to support various causes in the local community.
The dedication of Glass House Group and other cannabis businesses in supporting healthcare workers and their communities during this crisis underscores the positive impact that collaboration and compassion can have on society’s well-being.
- CannaCraft: Making 25,000 Bottles of Hand Sanitizer to Protect California’s Elderly
As part of its cannabis extraction process, CannaCraft, located in Santa Rosa, California, utilizes ethanol, a key ingredient in hand sanitizer. With the knowledge of this resource, Tiffany Devitt, President of Wellness at CannaCraft, shared how the company had the necessary ingredients, including aloe and essential oils from their CBD topicals, readily available at their facility.
CannaCraft promptly leveraged its large-scale manufacturing equipment and in-house chemists in response to the hand sanitizer shortage during the pandemic. As a result, the company swiftly produced 25,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, which were distributed to senior centers and healthcare workers. Moreover, CannaCraft has ambitious plans to manufacture 100,000 additional bottles for future orders.
- Canopy Growth: Donating Protective Gear Across Canada
Canopy Growth, a prominent cannabis company, has generously donated “thousands” of gloves, full-body protective suits, and masks from two large greenhouses in British Columbia. Despite the closure of these greenhouses, the company made the compassionate decision to allocate its personal protective equipment to front-line medical staff at a local health unit in Victoria.
- Hand Sanitizer Efforts Across Cannabis Businesses
The cannabis industry’s solidarity extends beyond CannaCraft and Canopy Growth. Various cannabis businesses are contributing to the hand sanitizer supply during these challenging times.
The Commonwealth Dispensary Association of Massachusetts, comprising 36 cannabis companies, is actively producing hand sanitizer for donation to local hospitals. In Hawaii, Aloha Green Holdings is making a difference by donating hand sanitizer to its medical patients, particularly those belonging to higher-risk groups vulnerable to COVID-19.
In Canada, Organigram demonstrates its commitment to the cause. The company recently announced on Twitter its dedication to donate 500 liters of ethanol from its production facility. This ethanol will be repurposed into hand sanitizer, contributing to the distribution within the local healthcare network in New Brunswick.
The solidarity and compassion shown by the cannabis industry are commendable. Their collective efforts in producing hand sanitizer and donating protective gear play a crucial role in fighting the coronavirus and safeguarding communities. As the pandemic persists, let us all remember to prioritize safety, stay home, and remain supportive of one another.
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