Has COVID-19 encouraged the use of medical marijuana?

From Taneia Surles

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many people, including newcomers to medical marijuana, have changed their reasons for using it. The virus is stressful for millions, if not billions of people worldwide, which has led many of them to resort to different options to find the satisfaction they had before COVID. Thanks to alternative health options like medicinal cannabis, many people can find relief from their ongoing stress from the pandemic.

Based on data from health technology company Veriheal and other sources, medical marijuana use has changed for many users since early 2020, when the pandemic officially hit the US.

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The rise in unemployment rates, the introduction of virtual learning for past in-person students, the loss of direct contact with a support system, and the risk of displacement have led many to resort to medical marijuana to relieve their pandemic-related stress. Many people who had not previously been diagnosed with mental illness showed symptoms during this pandemic, which resulted in a significant increase in the need for mental health services and medication.

For those who prefer alternative health options, medical marijuana has been the method of choice to relieve their stress and other possible mental health symptoms. For Veriheal, a CannaTech company that helps its customers get a medical marijuana card, why their customers operate medical cannabis has changed dramatically.

According to the data provided by Veriheal, the main reason or “desired effects” for those seeking medical marijuana was “happy / happy” with “relief / pain free” being the second reason. Typically, most medical marijuana users experience chronic pain or mental illness, which they can relieve with medically prescribed cannabis. The need for medical marijuana has apparently changed as many people are now looking for a stress reliever and a similar form of “dopamine” to help bear the pandemic.

RELATED: Medical marijuana is booming amid the coronavirus pandemic

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Here is some additional information taken from Veriheal’s data:

• Pennsylvania currently has the highest demand for medical cannabis compared to any other state, with the possible reason that the state is purely medical.
• As the city, New York City has the highest demand for medicinal cannabis. It should be noted that New York City had the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases at one point during the pandemic.
• The main reason men use medicinal cannabis is to be happy (42%), while women use it primarily for relief (39%). As mentioned earlier, happiness and pain relief are the two main uses for medical marijuana during the pandemic.

RELATED: Mothers Use Marijuana More Than Ever Before During a Pandemic

The data provided by Veriheal shed light on what the future holds for medical marijuana. Even with the introduction of COVID-19 vaccines, there is no set date when the pandemic will end. With that in mind, it may continue to be the main reason people use medical marijuana in the near future to be happy or happy.

This article originally appeared in the Green Market Report and was republished with permission.