Marijuana Sales Are Rising Along with COVID-19 Cases; Here’s Why This Should Matter to You

Increasing legal availability, shutdown of many bars and restaurants, and overall anxiety related to the pandemic are likely responsible for significant growth in the U.S. marijuana market in 2020. The cannabis website Leafly reports that sales grew at least 67% last year; it’s now a $17.9 billion industry in this country. While that’s clearly good for that marketplace, it’s safe to say that urgent care centers could see more patients presenting with potentially serious complaints related to use of cannabis. Such cases are already occurring in urgent care, actually; one was described in a recent issue of JUCM. Read Cannabis-Associated Myocardial Infarction in a Young Woman Without Other Cardiac Risk Factors now to learn more. The choice of mechanism of delivery of cannabis can have detrimental effects on a patient’s health, as well. You can read about that in our archive, too; Vaping-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI) Presenting to Urgent Care was the cover article in our January issue.