Reighan Sheppard

Temperatures were a windy 46 degrees in Indianapolis (67 in Gainesville), but that did not stop Florida fans from traveling to cheer on their basketball team.

Not only did COVID-19 unleash a virus that affected the entire globe, but the growing pandemic also triggered an epidemic of anxiety and depression among America’s Generation Z and millennial populations. And many people turned to cannabis, as opposed to prescribed medication, to calm their minds. In 2021, cannabis sales increased to $30 billion, 40% higher than the previous year. The United States is expected to make up 75% of global cannabis sales in 2026.

Amid the pandemic and a host of Martin Luther King Jr. commemorations nearly two years ago, a small group of students, alumni, faculty and administrators…