Social distancing at dispensary is need of the hour.
A cluster of viral pneumonia cases was linked to a seafood market in Wuhan (Hubei, China). It was later determined to be caused by a novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Later on, it was known as Covid-19 that affected the world and was declared by The World Health Organization as a pandemic.
People around the globe have been struggling to fight the virus. A global effort to find a cure and vaccine is still on going. Aside from being a threat to people’s health and well-being, it also brought significant changes to a country’s tourism and economy.
Covid-19 and Canada
Canada has no exemption to the virus. Canada’s healthcare system is known to cater to anyone regardless of its status, income, employment, age, or health. The significant advantage in Canada is that anyone can get health care because the Canadian Government’s goal is to improve its citizens’ overall health. In more basic terms, Canada’s healthcare system has easy access and equal services to everyone.
Despite having a robust healthcare system, the country has been affected by the virus. Based on the statistics posted by the World Health Organization, Canada is in the 19th rank of the most affected country around the world. Tallying over a 100 thousand positive cases, with over 8,000 deaths, Canada immediately responded to the situation, that’s why the Canadian Government has issued guidelines to be implemented around the country to help lessen the rapid increase of Covid-19 positive cases.
Due to the current situation, some of the guidelines implemented require people to limit the flow and interaction between people, closing of public places, businesses, and schools.
The Government also implemented guidelines in regards to what a person can contribute individually to slow down the number of positive cases. Some of these include continuing to exercise proper hygiene, wearing face masks, limiting non-essential travels, staying at home when you are considered to have a high risk of acquiring the disease due to existing medical problems, and most especially always practicing physical distancing.
Moreover, because of the limit to the flow of people, businesses have been affected. Not just in their sales but also on how they practice the guidelines in their respective establishments. The atoll in the economy has been at stake because of the pandemic.
Essential business establishments are being asked not to stop production like in the field of food, medicine, and banks. It is important to note that some businesses that complied with what should be done have been given the permit to open during this pandemic.
Some of the issues that the country is currently facing are on how to practice social distance in some business establishments that requires interaction between people when purchasing just like in dispensaries. That is why social distancing at dispensary is important for everyone’s safety.
Let’s take a look at cannabis industry in Canada first before we discuss about social distancing at dispensary.
Cannabis Market in Canada
Last year, cannabis was approved in Canada. It was the first country in the G7 to legislate the use of Cannabis for recreational use and the second country after Uruguay.
Although Cannabis is available for medical purposes at that time, the Canadian Government pushed through to legalize Cannabis for three main reasons which are for the protection of public health, protection of young people, and reduction of people illegally buying Cannabis.
This action was made by the Canadian Government because reports showed that even when Cannabis is illegal, it did not prevent people from consuming it.
Other risks also include hierarchy in criminal gangs. They also encountered challenges along the way. Since displacing a well-established illegal supply in the market in a proper way is new to them, concerns and other issues were present.
For example, Cannabis is cheaper when bought in the illegal market. But after almost a year of legalizing Cannabis, statistics showed that the unlawful purchase of the drug fell from 51% to 38%. This was a significant result since the people surveyed were young, ranging from 15-17 years old.
Above all, this action made by the Government helped people to feel more comfortable reporting cannabis consumption since it is not considered as a criminal offense. Although some people may find it hard to shift to legal ways of buying Cannabis, some also believe that this will, later on, be a norm to all cannabis consumers and not opting to buy from the illegal market.
How to practice social distancing at dispensary?
With the guidelines provided by the Canadian Government, with the strict observance and implementation, there won’t be a problem regarding physical Distancing at these business establishments.
The challenge of practicing social Distancing is not only for the workers present but also to the individual responsibilities of a person consuming and buying the drug. Studies have shown that person-to-person spread is sometimes caused by prolonged interaction.
This only proves the importance of physical distance. Some of the recommendations include assessing the health of your workers and identifying those who have an existing medical problem.
They are vulnerable to the disease, have a more flexible working schedule, strengthen the sanitary procedures, and, if possible, practice social distance at workplaces. To practice social distancing we must always remember to maintain at least 2meters distance from each other may it be from a customer to the employee or from an employee to another employee, etc., put up a physical barrier, limit the clients inside the establishment, use of signage and floor markings to indicate the 2meter distance, and to avoid greetings like handshakes.
In cannabis dispensary establishments, owners should also think about the welfare of their workers. It is important to note that there are various ways to limit the contact of people. Maybe this is the right time for an owner to widen his/her horizon by trying new things and going out of the box.
Through this, contact from person-to-person is lesser, and it is hassle-free for the customers. It is also encouraged to buy online ahead of time and pick it up in the drive-through or pickups because through this, we can practice social distancing and lessen the exposure from person to person.
Share this article with your friends and spread the word about the importance of social distancing at dispensary.
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