Cannabis Loss Prevention:
The Sweet Smell of Success in a Blossoming Industry By Jacque Brittain, LPC
annabis has been used for both recreational and medical purposes for thousands of years. Medical cannabis applications have been commonly used for centuries to treat disease, improve symptoms, and manage pain. Today, cannabis provides therapeutic relief with clinically proven benefits like reducing pain in cancer patients, decreasing PTSD symptoms in veterans, and reducing seizure rates in epileptic children by up to 50 percent. A versatile plant with uses dating back as far as 3500 BC, it has even been used to make rope and clothing by ancient civilizations. However, by the mid-twentieth century, despite that versatility, the use of cannabis was banned by most countries. In recent times, however, the perception and use of cannabis products have shifted. Controlled use and distribution is now seen as an area of opportunity, outweighing the real or perceived risks of potential misuse. Whether based on social norms, medical application, or economic opportunity, the topic of cannabis and all its applications has gained the attention of our society—and the interest of the retail community. Although the use and possession of cannabis has not been legalized under federal legislation, medicinal and recreational cannabis use has become increasingly widespread across the country. Today, support for marijuana legalization has grown substantially, with thirty-eight states and Washington, DC having legalized cannabis for medical reasons, while twenty-three states and Washington, DC now have laws allowing for recreational use. Individual opinions on the use of cannabis products may vary, however, the numbers support these changes:
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