Cannabis Medicinal

The cannabis industry is becoming serious business. People are devoting a lot of time and money to make the new niche as profitable as it is. It’s growing fast, and it’s going to need a lot of qualified people in the future to keep making it successful. If you’re interested in joining the field, you may want to get a cannabis degree. That’s right, it’s now possible in the U.S. to get college degrees in cannabis-related fields.

What exactly are “cannabis-related fields?”

Well, degrees that will allow you to be successful in the cannabis field vary greatly. Here are some examples.

Chemistry:

Northern Michigan University has begun to offer a four-year bachelor degree in Medicinal Plant Chemistry.

Biology:

UC Davis taught a class called “Physiology of Cannabis.”

Business:

The University of Denver created a course in the “Business of Marijuana.” Harvard University even offered a master’s class in cannabis business.

Law:

Vanderbilt’s law school taught “Marijuana Law and Policy.” Similarly, Ohio State University’s law school offered “Marijuana Law, Policy and Reform.”

Medicine:

University of Vermont’s online medical school taught a course on “Cannabis Science and Medicine,” and University of Washington has a class on “Medicinal Cannabis and Chronic Pain.”

There are also cannabis-specific schools that have started to see a boost in enrollments recently. These schools include places like Oaksterdam University, Cannabis Training University (CTU), and Clover Leaf University.

According to Leafly’s 2019 cannabis job report, “The cannabis industry is the largest job creation machine in the country.” Apparently, last year the industry increased by 44%, which created over 64,000 new jobs. Since the field has a lot of areas, it was able to employ people from different age groups, social standings, and levels of education.

Cannabis Degrees: Beyond Undergraduate

Getting an undergraduate cannabis degree is pretty cool. It can definitely give you a leg up on the competition within the cannabis field. But now you can go even further, because several U.S. universities are now offering graduate cannabis degrees.

University of Maryland, for instance, has created a cannabis-related graduate program in their School of Pharmacy. The program focuses on the science, clinical use, and policy of medical cannabis. It’s a Master of Science (MS) in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics degree, and it’s a two year program. Students can take class online ad well as in-person. Those completing the degree will be equipped to support medicinal cannabis patients, perform cannabis research, and contribute to cannabis-related policy.

Furthermore, Clark University has added a graduate certificate in “regulatory affairs for cannabis control.” This degree will give students knowledge of public policy issues in the medicinal cannabis field. This includes issues within cultivation, distribution, sales, and regulation.

Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a bill that allows parents to give their children medicinal cannabis in some California K-12 schools.

What exactly does the bill allow?

The bill, which was signed late on Wednesday, gives permission for parents to administer medicinal cannabis to their kids. It must not be in smoking or vaping form, and it must also be approved by the particular California school board.

Legislation similar to this one appeared last year but was vetoed by former Governor Jerry Brown. Brown stated his concerns with allowing marijuana around young children, especially as its use becomes more suspect as they get older.

Scott Chipman of Americans Against Legalizing Marijuana also called the bill an “unnecessary stunt.” He believes children can receive their medical marijuana doses before or after school hours.

But Newsom overruled any objections from law enforcement groups and signed the bill anyway.

Newsom is known for his support of the legal marijuana industry. He was the top advocate of Proposition 64, the 2016 recreational pot legalization initiative.

Not everyone disagrees with Newsom’s recent decision to allow medicinal cannabis in California schools. Democratic Senator Jerry Hill, for instance, believes the bill will help hundreds of students. Many suffer from illnesses like epilepsy, and medicinal cannabis products will benefit them.

Hill added that this bill isn’t meant to give all students the chance to try medical marijuana. It’s designed for students who have no other options besides medicinal cannabis. The new law means they can take their medicine without having to interrupt their school day.

How have school districts responded to the new bill so far?

Jackie Goldberg, board member of Los Angeles Unified School District, says she’s on board with the new bill. She also added that she will be consulting the district’s health officials to come up with a specific policy.

“I think it ought to be available as a need if the student’s family gets a prescription or a recommendation from a medical doctor for using it because it seems to have help for some people, particularly for epilepsy and a few other things,” she said.

Goldberg noted that the medicinal marijuana approved in this bill does not contain ingredients that can get students high.

When will the medicinal cannabis law go into effect for California schools?

The law goes into effect on January 1. It’s called “JoJo’s Act,” in honor of a teenager from Francisco Bay with a syndrome called Lennox-Gastaut. This severe kind of epilepsy means that JoJo must take forms of medicinal cannabis in order to prevent harmful seizures. He previously could not attend school because this medication was not legal on the property.

California is not the first to pass this law. It already exists in both Washington and Florida. It’s possible that other states will follow suit.

You Can Now Get College Degrees in Cannabis-Related Fields

What exactly are “cannabis-related fields?”

Cannabis Degrees: Beyond Undergraduate

Medicinal Cannabis Now Allowed in Some California K-12 Schools

What exactly does the bill allow?

How have school districts responded to the new bill so far?