College Cannabis Courses Gain Popularity Across The Country

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Cannabis plants grow in the greenhouse at Vireo Health's medical marijuana cultivation facility, August 19, 2016 in Johnstown, New York. New York state lawmakers voted to legalize marijuana for medical use in 2014 and the law took effect in January 2016. Currently, five organizations are allowed to grow and sell the drug for medical use in the state. New York's new law only allows people with 'severe debilitating or life threatening conditions' to obtain marijuana for medical use.
More colleges are including cannabis courses as part of their curriculum.

More and more colleges across America are readying students for the future of the cannabis industry. Associated Press reports that there's been a growing number of schools who've included cannabis courses as part of their curriculum in anticipation for future "graduates for careers cultivating, researching, analyzing and marketing the herb." 

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New research reveals that there will be more and more careers in the cannabis industry in the future, from greenhouse and dispensary operators to edible product developers, marketing specialists, quality assurance lab directors, and pharmaceutical researchers. Arcview Marketing Research predicts the industry will have 467,000 jobs by 2022.

Despite legalities in certain states towards recreational use of the plant such as  New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, colleges are plotting on cannabis to be legalized in the future with the courses. They also are preparing students who plan on leaving the state to pursue their careers.

Northern Michigan University offers medicinal plant chemistry which is possibly the closest thing to a cannabis degree one could obtain. The school has brought in roughly 300 students from 48 different states.

Minot State University in North Dakota is set to launch a similar course in the spring which will focus on "lab skills applicable to medical marijuana, hops, botanical supplements, and food science industries."

Additionally, the rise in cannabis courses at colleges have prompted other courses focusing on the legal and health impact of the plant. 


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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