The Way Forward: ‘Essential' designation could pay benefits for cannabis business Primitiv Though other supply chain issues reared their heads, the supply of marijuana flower generally stayed steady in the pandemic. Cannabis COVID impact: The freshly legal recreational cannabis business was hit very quickly by COVID and slowed expansions. The Way Forward: A designation as "essential" gave the business a shot of legitimacy. The industry is emerging from the pandemic with growth in certain types of businesses like social lounges still to come. Also in this report: Nonprofitsface long recovery, uncertainty State governmentlikely to take up less space Manufacturing: Auto industry worries get flipped on their heads