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Rabat – “American Marijuana,” an online guide for medical marijuana consumers in the US, published a study on March 30 that shows how some Americans prioritize the substance during the coronavirus pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic has reached over 195 countries, leading populations around the world to adopt precautionary measures out of fear, and sometimes to frenzied overreactions such as “panic shopping.”
Dwight Blake, the publication’s editor in chief and a former mental health counselor, conducted the study. Research involved 990 marijuana users whose responses were used to evaluate the importance of consuming the psychotropic substance compared to the subjective importance of securing basic need products.
The survey revealed that many users prioritize purchasing marijuana over cleaning products and personal c that many people rushed to purchase as soon as the COVID-19 alarm sounded.
Approximately one fourth (28%) of the study’s participants valued marijuana above face masks, 17% over toilet paper, and 15% over hand sanitizer.
Fifty of the 990 participants ranked marijuana as more important than food.
Videos of shoppers invading supermarkets en masse to stock up on food went viral on social media, reflecting the global panic that overtook the values of solidarity towards those in need. In contrast, the American Marijuana study revealed statistics that panic orients some people to prioritize psychotropic pleasure over food security.
Marijuana hoarding
Nearly half of the survey participants (48.69%) stocked up on marijuana since the COVID-19 crisis began. American Marijuana questioned this group on the motives behind their hoarding, and revealed three principle reasons.
“Fifty-five percent of those stocking pot said they did so to calm themselves during the coronavirus outbreak. Meanwhile, 22% of them didn’t even care but just wanted to stock up on some marijuana to chill at home,” American Marijuana reported.
Meanwhile, 23% stocked up on marijuana due to fears of both the COVID-19 outbreak and a potential marijuana product shortage.
Smoking marijuana is not the only activity that participants plan to partake in should the US enforce a nationwide lockdown.
Most participants (28%) said their main activity during quarantine would be watching television shows, followed by 26% who intend to practice their hobbies, including cooking and playing music. Meanwhile, 16.67% of the study’s marijuana consumers selected smoking weed as their main lockdown activity.
Reacting to the COVID-19 crisis, 54.24% of participants said that they are calm about the pandemic and that they believe everything will be alright, while 40.2% admitted to be “worried sick.” The remaining 5% indicated they do not care about the crisis.
Legal marijuana stores in the US have remained open despite shelter-in-place orders, as they are considered to provide an essential service.
Many countries including, Morocco, voted on the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) on cannabis and related substances, at the 63rd session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) on March 2.
WHO carried out a scientific assessment to determine the positive outcomes of cannabis and its derivatives in medical use. The study had “groundbreaking” results, opposing the “exaggerated danger” linked to cannabis use, announced the European think tank FAAAT.
As the pandemic rages on, evaluating medical marijuana use has taken a back seat to COVID-19 response measures.
