USA TODAY 2 Hours Ago:Gun, marijuana stocks rise on prospects of a Democratic sweep in 2020 election MICHAEL BRAGA | USA TODAY | 2 hours ago With most of the nation in isolation to halt the spread of coronavirus, officials are seeing a spike in gun sales. BUZZ60 Guns and drugs are two items that have been flying off shelves since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, and their publicly traded companies have benefited handsomely. Driven by a combination of social unrest fears and the prospects of a Democratic sweep that might lead to stricter gun laws and legalization of marijuana coast to coast, both gunmakers and cannabis companies have seen their stock prices trade higher. Shares of gunmakers Smith & Wesson (NASDAQ SWBI) and Vista Outdoor (NYSE VSTO) have more than doubled since March, while Sturm, Ruger & Cos stock (NYSE RGR) is up 30% far outpacing the Standard & Poors 500 Index during the same time period. Women buying guns: More women buying guns amid the coronavirus pandemic Fears of unrest: Americans worried about Election Day violence and chaos are buying guns and toilet paper Marijuana stocks have not seen as strong a lift. But shares of the 10 largest Canadian and U.S. companies have increased 20% since August, according to Veridian Capital Advisors, a mergers and acquisition firm focused on the budding marijuana industry. Pot stocks have been boosted in part by rapidly rising sales, which are expected to climb an additional 40% in 2020 to more than $15 billion, according to Marijuana Business Factbook. If Biden and Harris are elected with a blue Senate, sales could further accelerate, especially given Harris comments during the vice presidential debate that shes in favor of decriminalizing the drug.