A group of Massachusetts marijuana dispensaries has received authorization to produce hand sanitizer, which the companies plan to donate to local hospitals as health care workers face a lack of supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Commonwealth Dispensary Association in partnership with the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association received authorization from the administration of Gov. Charlie Baker, the state Department of Public Health and the state Cannabis Control Commission to produce the hand sanitizer, according to a news release.

“When John Hillier, who’s on the CDA Board, brought the feasibility of producing hand sanitizer to our attention, members jumped at the opportunity to partner with MHA to make this happen. I am incredibly proud of members who are allocating time and resources to produce hand sanitizer, at cost, to help clinicians in the fight against COVID-19," said CDA President David Torrisi.

Nurses and doctors across the state, and country, have faced a lack of protective equipment like face masks. As people rushed to stores, the country has seen bare grocery shelves and a lack of supplies like hand sanitizer.

The production of hand sanitizer is not that complicated, but it can be expensive, the groups said.

The Commonwealth Dispensary Association estimates that at full production, it can produce 5,000 gallons of hand sanitizer per week to donate to local hospitals, according to the news release.

Dispensary operators have applied World Health Organization guidelines to cannabis machinery. The dispensaries plan to fill labeled five-gallon jugs that will be transported to Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency for distribution to individual hospitals.

“Knowing that in States of Emergencies pharmacies can produce hand sanitizer and that we have equivalent lab facilities and knowledgeable personnel, I put forth the recommendation and was thrilled to see enthusiasm from other members,” said Hillier, the executive director of Central Ave Compassionate Care and founder and president of Gage Cannabis.

Hillier said that during a visit to Lowell General Hospital, he observed the production of hand sanitizer at one of the hospital’s facilities.

“It was clear to me that hospitals are spending valuable resources producing hand sanitizer when they should be preparing for what’s coming down the road, he said. "As an industry, we have the capabilities to step in and allow them to spend more time providing care.”

Some of the dispensaries that plan to participate are Revolutionary Clinics, INSA, Central Ave Compassionate Care, Inc., SIRA Naturals, New England Treatment Access, Theory Wellness, Garden Remedies, Triple M, Alternative Therapies Group, Inc., Berkshire Roots, Cultivate, NorthEast Alternatives, Patriot Care and Mass Wellspring.

"Given the extreme stress that our health system is facing, seeing the business community step up to produce critical supplies to ease that burden reinforces the notion that we are all in this together,” said Steve Walsh, the president and CEO of the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association.

The Commonwealth Dispensary Association is made of 36 members holding operating licenses in more than 60 cities and towns across the state. The group serves to provide state-licensed marijuana operators with critical insight and best practices to navigate the marijuana industry.

As of Monday afternoon, nine residents have died from illnesses related to COVID-19 and 777 people have tested positive, according to the state Department of Public Health.

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