The coronavirus has the country in a state of panic. While some people are stocking up on toilet paper and household amenities, others are making sure they have the right medicine to combat this virus.
Orders to New York City's marijuana delivery services have reportedly seen a spike since the coronavirus started to take hold. Because these services are illegal, it's unclear to verify how much the traffic has increased. Yet according to New York Magazine, people still want to buy and smoke bud—but due to the fear of getting coronavirus—they don't want to leave their homes.
"On an average day, one of them is making at least 60 deliveries, making on average $8,000–$9,000," the managing editor of Merry Jane, Zach Sokol, told New York Magazine after meeting with the proprietors of two delivery services. "They both said in light of corona, they’re hitting holiday season type of traffic, $10,000 today."
Sokol went on to state that one dealer told him that their organization pulled in $16,000 on Wednesday. This reportedly broke the company's personal record for most sales in a day. The dealers tell Sokol that the sales are so high because people don't know if they'll end up being confined to their homes. As a result, customers have embodied a "hoarder's mentality" copping up on large quantities of weed to carry them through the quarantine.
The threat of their employees catching the virus has not stopped these services from capitalizing on the boom in business. But, they are taking precautions to keep their employees safe. Instead of allowing buyers to inspect the product, the services have enacted a "look but don't touch" rule. They're also mandating that their workers disinfect their boxing before, during, and after shifts. Riders are also urged to "follow their instincts" and not serve people who seem sick.
"At the end of the day, I think everyone is more paranoid," Sokol said. "But especially with increased business, dealers are not taking time off or locking up their bikes. For the time being, it feels relatively pandemic-proof."
