Marty Otanez on the Status of Cannabis Workers During the COVID-19 Crises

Published: April 30, 2020

Marty Otanez, Associate Professor of Anthropology, studies labor issues within the cannabis industry. "With cannabis companies classified as 'essential services' during COVID-19 in Colorado, cannabis workers are increasingly vulnerable due to limited or inadequate protective masks and unsafe physical distancing in workplaces," Otanez said. "... A related issue is how workers may feel torn about providing medicinal and recreational cannabis to consumers and patients while taking away PPE from health-care workers facing shortages of protective masks and other PPE."

Colorado cannabis companies face COVID-19 fallout without federal small-business lifelines
Denver Business Journal, April 17