April 20th is well known to Daniel Fung CT marijuana expert and other industry professionals as a day commonly linked to indulgence amongst members of the space. This year, however, members of the industry are momentarily shifting gears to address topics such as relief efforts centered around supporting our healthcare professionals and those negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic rather than the usual fare of focusing on sales and events. The efforts, facilitated by the Marijuana Industry Group and Colorado Leads are set to begin on Monday, April 20th.
Currently, several cannabis businesses in Colorado are contributing to relief efforts. For example, Daniel Fung CT has noted that Good Chemistry has provided $50,000 to Colorado’s COVID Relief Fund and is also working to donate 600 crucial N95 masks to medical workers and homeless shelters in the area. Friends in Weed, has taken the idea of monetary donation to create a challenge that calls for businesses to donate $420 or donate 4.2% of their sales to the Colorado COVID Relief Fund.
Similar ideas as the one proposed by Friends in Weed have found themselves in organizations in other states as well. For example, Illinois based Verilife has agreed to donating $4.20 from every sale made on 4/20 to local healthcare workers and organizations that are dedicated to aiding them. Las Vegas’s Planet 13 has already been involved in the fight against COVID by using its on-site restaurant to provide meals for Las Vegas seniors, and is now contributing to relief by donating $1 of each of their deliveries to charity.
LivWell Enlightened Health and 420 for a Cause are adapting the industry holiday into an online celebration that will feature musicians and comics. Those that participate can make donations that will benefit a plethora or organizations including the Colorado Comedy Relief Fund, the Colorado Restaurant Association, and the Colorado COVID Relief Fund. Marijuana industry professionals like Fung note the idea of a digital celebration is perfect for the current landscape of social distancing measures while helping several industries that cannot operate at the same capacity at this time.
What industry expert Daniel Fung finds most inspiring about these examples of the marijuana industry stepping up to the plate is that it shows an unwavering commitment to the communities that make the flourishing industry possible. Daniel Fung has previously acknowledged the significance that dispensaries being listed as essential businesses has for the projected growth of the industry, and realizes that taking on responsibilities to assist the community is exactly the type of behavior that one would expect of a flagship industry.