Canadian colleges are starting to add for-credit cannabis classes to their offerings as the cannabis sector grows, The Washington Post reports.
The trend is growing. Companies like Beleave Kannabis Corp in Ontario are pressuring universities there to provide training for the cannabis sector.
“I’m going to pillage the top of your class. All your 4.0 GPAs, send them this way.” — Roger Ferreira, Chief Science Officer of Beleave Kannabis Corp to The Washington Post
Almost a dozen colleges across Canada are expanding their cannabis education options, many of which will count towards degrees. Starting in 2020, McGill University in Montreal will even offer a graduate degree in cannabis production for students with botany backgrounds.
Modern cannabis production is heavily informed by science. Genetics, horticulture, and soil chemistry are just a few of the serious subjects covered by cannabis growers.
But even these programs may not be enough. Job openings for cannabis positions have tripled in the last year, according to jobs site Indeed.com. 34 out of every 10,000 postings on the site are for cannabis jobs.
When Canadian lawmakers legalize edibles, which is expected next year, the need for cannabis labor will intensify. But any demand that the legal market can’t meet will be scooped up by the still-remaining illicit market, delaying the transition to a fully legal market.
Education, it turns out, is a big part of normalization.