One thing that the Coronavirus pandemic has sharply put in focus for many of us is our health. Now every cough or sniffle, you question whether or not you have been hit by COVID-19 or if it is just another cold. Either way, you are armed with your thermometer, your vitamin C, chicken soup and keeping your family members at bay. You are taking every precaution in ways that you would have not normally taken before and you may also be looking at alternatives to traditional meds, like cannabis.

SHIFT IN FOCUS

The focus on cannabis is going to shift from adult use to medical because people are genuinely interested in finding out how this plant can benefit their health. One ailment that we have known cannabis to be helpful for is for mental health. And with us all having to teach kids at home, hold down our day jobs, and manage to keep fires burning on the home front without losing our minds, cannabis has come in handy. Many are turning to cannabis at the end of the day to wind down and calm our minds, trying to find some semblance of calm in this sea of chaos.

RESEARCH HAS SPOKEN

Research from Archer Daniels Midland has found that 75% of consumers say due to the lockdown they are motivated to stay healthy and want to improve their overall wellbeing. Many have said that the pandemic has been a source of stress and anxiety, 35% have been concerned about their mental wellbeing. Eighty-two percent of the hemp acreage in the U.S. was licensed for CBD production in 2020 due to the high demand for the wellness products it has become known for to relieve everything from headaches to aching joints, to relieving anxiety to skin conditions, as well as rejuvenates the body.

CANNABIS TO THE RESCUE

As the nation looks to recover from the Coronavirus, they will look to cannabis to help provide them with the overall wellness they are searching for. The opioid crisis of recent years has scared many in this country from turning to traditional pharmaceuticals for help and are looking for alternatives opening the door for cannabis products to fill the void.

When it comes to the legislatures, we have seen time and time again that states are willing to open medical markets. Even highly conservative states like Mississippi passed with 75% of the vote in favor of a medical market. More and more are seeing the benefits of medical cannabis even though we do not have a great deal of formal research to back the claims. Lawmakers are willing to look at bills that will open up more research opportunities or allow CBD and medical cannabis into their states. Their tacit willingness to advance the medical markets will instill confidence in consumers in 2021 that are unfamiliar with the plant and show them that there could be more to those gummies instead of a sweet treat that gets you high.

#notjustvapor