Along with robust grocery store sales, there’s one more sector of the retail community that seems to be doing well under the COVID-19 outbreak: cannabis.
“Retail sales are way up, and people are stocking up, I think,” said Graham Farrar, owner of The Farmacy on West Mission Street, reminding that many use cannabis as a medicine. “We’ve also seen a big uptick in delivery as people are taking the option of having it delivered to their doorstep.”
He believes cannabis is helping people cope. “One of the best preventatives against disease spread and sickness is a strong immune system, and the best ways to bolster our immune system is good sleep and lower stress,” said Farrar. “Cannabis helps with both.”
For visitors to the shop, The Farmacy is enacting sanitation measures and social distancing, with a maximum of 10 people allowed in the shop at any one time. “We’re keeping everyone safe while still providing access to what for many folks is medicine,” said Farrar.