British Columbia’s Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) is taking steps to ensure that if residents are socially distancing themselves for the duration of the coronavirus epidemic, they won’t have to do it without weed.

The provincial wholesaler is working within the industry to mitigate any possible supply issues as cannabis enthusiasts worldwide start stockpiling the drug.

The LDB enacted measures such as creating an Emergency Operations Centre to closely monitor the current state of affairs, although chief executive officer Blain Lawson said in a public notice that the organization is “not experiencing any delays or impacts to the supply of non-medical cannabis product” for the time being.

Despite repeated calls from public health officials to practice social distancing and stay home as much as possible, however, BC Cannabis Stores is still planning to proceed with the planned grand opening of the new Fort St. John Store in the northeastern region of the province. The Crown corporation has pledged to take extra cleaning precautions to mitigate the potential spread of the virus.

Lawson noted that the corporation has increased cleaning and sanitizing the common areas and equipment of its 14 retail stores, such as point of sale terminals and PIN pads, sniff jars, countertops, cash registers and doorknobs.

The corporation has increased cleaning and sanitizing for things like point of sale terminals and PIN pads, sniff jars, countertops, cash registers and doorknobs. / Photo: zenstock / iStock / Getty Images Plus

The LDB is also encouraging clients to stay two metres apart from one another while in the store and lining up to make purchases, and promises that the health of its employees is a priority and will be monitored on an ongoing basis.

“We are closely following the direction of our provincial health officials, which maintain a low public health advisory for British Columbia at this time,” according to the statement from Lawson.

In the wake of over 100 verified cases of COVID-19 and four deaths so far, B.C. has reduced its limit on social gatherings to 50 people from a previous limit of 250.