Should you disinfect cannabis? This article discusses it in detail.

The world is currently facing this unprecedented crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the guidelines of the COVID-19 epidemic, marijuana dispensaries are offering services such as delivery and curbside pickup to sustain the customer’s needs and keep them as well as their staff safe and COVID-free while amid the pandemic. States have requested smokers to self-isolate inside the house, or other places of residence while smoking weed.

Smoking may make one prone to a wide variety of microorganisms and toxins, including coronavirus or more specific factors, such as bacteria, rainwater, pesticides, etc. Such factors were a problem for a subset in the population before COVID-19. Although the dispensary staff who carry and deliver cannabis wear disposable gloves to ensure safety and quality of the products, it can’t be concluded that they are COVID-19 free as some COVID-19 patients are asymptomatic. Also, the dispensary staff are possibly prone carriers of the COVID-19 disease. Today, in the middle of all this, all segments of the supply chain tend to be adopting steps to protect themselves and those in the process. Consumers are also obliged to take measures for their safety and health security.

Coronavirus Disease Life Span

According to a study published by The New England Journal of Medicine, the COVID-19 lives for 1-2 days. The study was performed on cardboard, metal, and plastic. Researchers detected that the virus lingered up to 24 hours in cardboard and metal while on the vinyl, the presence of the infection lasts for one day to two days. With this, it is unlikely but remains possible for the cannabis packaging to have contact with COVID-19.

What is Marijuana?

Marijuana or cannabis is a greenish-grey type combination of the dried seeds of the plant Cannabis sativa. Many people consumed this as hand-made cigars or joints into cigar wraps.

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or known as THC, is the primary psychoactive (mind-altering) chemical present in marijuana that is responsible for most intoxicating effects that consumers are seeking. THC contains more than 500 other chemicals, including the 100 chemical compounds that are related to THC and are called cannabinoids. On the other side, marijuana is used medically to treat different medical illnesses. However, a minimal use or in low dosage use of marijuana has side effects of dry mouth and fatigue. On the higher doses, dizziness, paranoia, and psychoactive effects will be experienced.

How To Disinfect Cannabis Packaging?

Services of the online world such as deliveries and curbside pickup might carry germs and transmit viruses to the packaging and even to the cannabis. For that reason, it is wise to sterilize and clean any packages delivered to every home.

When retrieving cannabis delivery or any other shipments or parcel, it is advised to wear gloves and mask all the time and dispose of it right after use straight into a garbage can.

To conveniently disinfect the cannabis packaging, it should either be wiped with strong disinfectant or let the packaging sit and rest for a day or two in isolated areas such as an unused closet or car.

Some tips recommended disinfecting the cannabis packaging is to leave it outside for hours or days at a time and clean it afterwards with a strong disinfectant. There is almost a 357 list of approved disinfectants to use against COVID-19.

In the case of over-the-counter disinfectant shortage, there are approved home remedies to use, such as a mixture of water and bleach, isopropyl alcohol, and hydrogen peroxide. However, there are prohibited practices such as mixing other antibacterial materials, including the vinegar, alcoholic drinks such as vodka into other disinfectant and cleaning fluids as it may create and produce potent toxic gasses that may put the household lives at risk and danger. Following these things will suffice to ensure a COVID-19 free packaging.

How To Disinfect Cannabis Plants

While most plants are pre-sterilized and are screened for contaminants, there are still myriad concerns and issues such as unwanted elements to get through the plant, including the coronavirus coming from holes in the chain of quality control, random accidents, or a peculiar inappropriate actor in space. Whatever the case may be, there are methods and effective ways to disinfect cannabis, such as using a UV light device and the two or three-day soaking process like a food-preparation process to reduce the risk of any contaminants and the possible transmission of COVID-19.

Ultraviolet Light

Light is radiation, specifically electromagnetic radiation within a particular spectrum. Pollution degrades organic material when sufficient energy is transferred. UV light has been proven effective in killing and destroying viruses before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. UV light may degrade a little the product’s freshness, but prevention is better than cure.

Ionization

Ionization is the process of forming ‘ions’ by gaining or losing electrons from an atom of a molecule. Negative ions or called an ‘anion’ is created when an atom or molecule gains an electron, and positive ions or called ‘cation’ is formed when an atom or molecule loses an electron. In the formation of ions, energy may be lost or gained in the process. Through several research and studies, and with the use of ionizer devices, negative and positive ions are responsible for reducing the bacteria’s survival.

Conclusion

Marijuana distribution is becoming more common, but shipments can hold germs and viruses much as the person distributing the item does. It’s best to disinfect cannabis and packaging and sterilize and clean every shipment before it comes to your house. This is now more critical than ever for users to take all measures to prevent the potential spread of coronavirus or other dangerous germs. With the virus capable of binding to a carton for a day and in the air for up to three hours and the asymptomatic staff, taking every conceivable risk for each supply, including marijuana, is an excellent decision to take proper protective precautions.

References:

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/what-marijuana
https://www.leafly.com/news/health/how-to-disinfect-cannabis-products-during-the-covid-19-pandemic
https://potguide.com/blog/article/can-you-disinfect-cannabis/
https://www.livescience.com/50326-what-is-ultraviolet-light.html
https://www.medicinenet.com/medical_marijuana_medical_cannabis/article.htm