Smoke together virtually or try edibles during coronavirus pandemic, marijuana lobby says
The culture of pot in America has always been heavily associated with community and sharing.
But even the country’s most prominent marijuana lobbying group is encouraging pot smokers to think twice before passing the joint or hitting it at all, according to a Wednesday blog post. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends practicing social distancing, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws made some suggestions for how to get high without putting yourself and others at risk during the coronavirus pandemic.
Marijuana users should either switch from smoking flower to eating edibles or tinctures, NORML said in a blog post Wednesday. That’s because people with a history of smoking experienced more severe symptoms of COVID-19 and lung inflammation, according to a study done by the Chinese Medical Journal.
“Community has always been central to cannabis culture, but given the health crisis we find ourselves in, it is best we think of community a little differently,” Erik Altieri, the executive director of NORML, wrote in the blog post.
Altieri suggested moving group smoking sessions to FaceTime, Zoom or Skype, in order to keep in touch with friends while social distancing.
But regardless of if you choose to smoke weed or consume it another way, sharing is not recommended. Coronavirus is not food borne, but if someone sneezes or coughs on anything, whether it be a brownie, bud or a pipe, the virus will spread, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
