Medical marijuana sales in Pennsylvania are soaring, due to COVID-19-related anxiety and the loosening of sales restrictions that make it easier for consumers to get hold of the drug. During the last six months, the number of patient visits to medical dispensaries rose by more than 70 percent, and overall retail sales reached $389 million—nearly equal to total sales in the state since legalization two years ago. Buyers want pot to treat chronic pain, but also for anxiety, which is now one of the most cited reasons for obtaining a state medical marijuana card.
Temporary changes to sales regulations are adding to the boom. Dispensaries were deemed “essential” services during the pandemic lockdown, and patients could get a prescription via telemedicine, order pot on the phone and use curb-side pick up to reduce the risk of acquiring corona virus. Some analysts say the sales spike could encourage legalization of adult-use recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania, as the state struggles with a budget shortfall.
Meanwhile, access to products with CBD—the non-psychoactive component of marijuana—is becoming easier with the debut of a CBD vending machine by a marijuana company. The first such machine was placed in a liquor store in Fargo, North Dakota and dispenses capsules, tinctures and other CBD products that are often falsely marketed as a cure-all for everything from stress to cancer and dementia. More worrisome, there’s no age limit imposed by the state on who can buy and consume CBD, which could change as the FDA is considering tighter regulations on the marijuana by-product amid a lack of scientific evidence about its safety and marketing claims.
And finally, a new study reveals that pregnant women are likely to face difficulties accessing treatment for opioid use disorder. Researchers found that pregnant women were 17 percent less likely to be granted an appointment with a physician authorized to provide treatment with addiction-withdrawal medications, which could not only curb substance abuse but also reduce the risk of preterm birth. One-third of the programs granting appointments only did so when the patients agreed to pay cash—highlighting the problem of lack of insurance coverage to treat substance abuse.