Marijuana Business Magazine May-June 2020

Marijuana Business Magazine | May-June 2020 38 New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s stay-at-home order classified medical marijuana dispensaries as “essential.” Such businesses are required to adhere to mitigation requirements, which include providing face coverings for employees, keeping 6 feet of distance between customers and co-workers and requiring employees to wash hands with soap or sanitizers. New Mexico The state Department of Health issued guidance to medical marijuana businesses before the governor’s stay-at-home order, clarifying that all MMJ producers are an “essential” part of the health-care sector. Additionally, medical marijuana patients whose registration cards expire June 13 or earlier will get an automatic 90-day extension. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state isn’t likely to legalize adult-use cannabis as part of its budget bill because of the coronavirus. Cuomo and state lawmakers were under pressure to agree on a budget before the new fiscal year, and efforts to do so were delayed because of the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the state health department said all licensed MMJ companies are classified as “essential” during the stay-at-home order. North Dakota New York-based Acreage Holdings announced it would temporarily close medical marijuana dispensaries in North Dakota as part of cost-cutting measures in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Acreage CEO and Chair Kevin Murphy said that, as “result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have made the very difficult decision to furlough several of our employees and close certain facilities while we navigate through the crisis.” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s stay-at-home order classified all licensed medical marijuana dispensaries and growers as “essential” businesses during the coronavirus outbreak, along with food and beverage farmers and manufacturers. In other news, MMJ dispensaries in the state sold almost $13 million in product in March, setting an all-time record for one month as business surged during the coronavirus pandemic. In one week in mid-March, Ohio dispensaries recorded $3.8 million in sales, by far the most ever sold in a single week since medical cannabis became legal in the state in 2016. IndustryDevelopments | International & State