A dangerous myth has been circulating the internet that cannabis kills the coronavirus. No, marijuana doesn’t kill the coronavirus. With the entire world in the midst of a pandemic, to spread misinformation like this is not only irresponsible, it’s downright unethical. The rumor first started after a meme with the fake news headline reading “BREAKING NEWS: WEED KILLS CORONAVIRUS” went viral on social media. The post was also tweeted by Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, who has over 250K followers.

Solution to a lot of world’s problems lie in India. But you can’t find them as long as you ridicule our ancient wisdom.
Cannabis is a magic plant. Till mid-80s it was sold by Govt. Because of Rajiv Gandhi and western Pharma companies it got bad name. Make cannabis legal. pic.twitter.com/qrwynpT6IW — Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) February 8, 2020

A recent factcheck by Reuters called the idea a “false claim,” saying, “there is no evidence proving marijuana can cure coronavirus.” PolitiFact came to the same conclusion, rating the false claim “Pants on Fire!” With each day that passes, people across the country are continuing to panic; many have turned to hoarding toilet paper and hand sanitizer in a desperate effort to stay safe. Hospitals are running out of masks, and there is a huge shortage of ventilators. In the current era of uncertainty, the last thing that anyone needs is a bogus rumor about cannabis curing a dangerous virus that is sweeping the globe. What we need as a community right now is access to accurate information. Marijuana is a social plant, and stoners are prone to gathering to smoke together. In an effort to slow the spread of the virus and flatten the curve, social distancing is now being strongly encouraged, and weed smokers are no exception. Sadly, gone are the days of toking up in your friend’s basement, albeit temporarily. Now is the time to Facetime your buddy and blaze from a distance. According to Director of THC Marketing for Source Dispensaries, Matthew Janz, “There is concern about puff, puff, passing.” At a recent camping trip, said Janz, “We only smoked from personal bowls. And we decided to forgo joints.” The group also opted to wipe down the paraphernalia with rubbing alcohol before and after each use since “it is the only substance strong enough to break down resins.” In a recent interview, Brooklyn publicist and cannabis-smoker Melissa Vitale told the New York Post, “We’re all making adjustments. These days, I’ll light a joint, take four to 10 hits and pass it. Then I light my own joint, which I hang onto. That way I am not getting anyone’s germs.” Added Vitale, “There is no way to sanitize the weed itself. So if that is how I get corona, from smoking weed, that is how I get it. I am using coronavirus as an excuse to wear silk scarves and driving gloves and to share less of my weed with people. I am watching the world burn and lighting my weed in the fire.”