While many business have been negatively impacted due to the coronavirus pandemic, medical marijuana dispensaries in New Mexico have been seeing big sales.
Jefferson King with Everest Apothecary in Albuquerque told KRQE that business has been sky high since March and that he has picked up nearly 1,000 new customers and more than doubled sales in April and May with sales continuing to soar since summer.
“From June until now we’ve seen a lot of increase like I said probably up to 60 to 75 percent overall,” he said.
New Mexico has over 100,000 registered medical cannabis patients and state experts said that’s a 27% increase since June 2019 and has ultimately led to more sales.
“In the first six months of 2020 there were $92 million in sales which is an increase in 55 percent from the same period the previous year,” remarked Ben Lewinger, Executive Director of New Mexico Cannabis Chamber of Commerce.
Medical marijuana was deemed an essential industry by the governor in March.
“People are also taking the opportunity to use cannabis for other things that it’s proven to work for beyond just qualifying conditions, things like anxiety, stress, insomnia,” said Lewinger.
“We have a lot of people that are struggling out there and you know we’re here for them and we just want to let them know it’s going to be okay and we’ll get through this,” said King of others who are suffering.
King said his company currently has six locations throughout the state with about 90 employees.
