In many states, dispensaries are essential businesses during the pandemic. Here are some of the most common safety measures they’ve implemented.

Even though dispensaries are considered essential businesses, the pandemic has still affected them. Just like any other business, marijuana retailers are enforcing new safety measure to keep you COVID-free. Here are just a few of the precautions they’ve implemented.

Adapting to shopping trends

Unlike other businesses that have had to cope with less customers during the pandemic, dispensaries have been experiencing more visits and larger orders. While sales aren’t exactly as robust as they were when COVID first hit, don’t be surprised to see more people than usual in your dispensary or notice that some products have gone out of stock.

In order to keep people safe, dispensaries are limiting the amount of costumers they let inside, allowing for social distanced waiting lines that are usually held outdoors. Some dispensaries might also be implementing shopping schedules.

Implementing social distancing

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Every state and business implements social distancing guidelines differently. If you live somewhere where there’s a relatively low number of cases, you most likely won’t notice a big change except, hopefully, seeing employees and customers wearing masks. If you live in a state with a large number of cases, dispensaries will likely allow smaller groups of people indoors and will enforce outside social distanced lines.

Strict sanitary measures

Dispensaries should be handling their products more carefully, with employees wearing both gloves and masks. They might suggest customers pay with credit and debit cards (instead of their usual cash-only policy) in order to minimize the exchange of paper currency. They could also be more careful when providing options to customers, not allowing people to interact with every product they find appealing. Dispensaries might also offer hand sanitizer to customers as they enter and leave the premises.

Curbside pickup

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Some of the most useful options for businesses trying to cope with pandemic include providing delivery and curbside pickup. While delivery is at times complicated when it comes to cannabis, most dispensaries are offering curbside pickup, where you call ahead of time, ask for your order and wait outside the dispensary for an employee to bring your product out. If you know what you want, you can also call your dispensary ahead of time and choose the product you’d like to purchase to eliminate the hassle of spending time inside the store.

Relying on customers

It’s very important for customers to be aware of the risk of the virus and for them to be careful with employees and other customers. Be sure to wear your mask and to avoid entering indoor locations that are crowded. Use all of the tools at your disposal, whether that’s delivery, curbside pickup or simply keeping your distance from others and being mindful of yourself.