Legal and Health Care Workers the Focus of New Cannabis Certificates
As medicinal and recreational cannabis continues to expand across Washington and around the country, Gonzaga University’s Center for Lifelong Learning is preparing to launch two certificates geared toward providing vital health care and compliance training to navigate this complex space.
Beginning in July 2023, Gonzaga will partner with Green Flower, the industry leader in cannabis education, to offer a Certificate in Cannabis Health Care and Medicine and a Certificate in Cannabis Compliance & Risk Management. Courses for both certificates are offered online, with just three eight-week classes required to earn a certificate from Gonzaga. Green Flower partners with 20 universities across the U.S., including Louisiana State University, the University of San Diego, Syracuse University and St. Joseph’s University.
Gonzaga recognizes the need for greater education about cannabis as the impact of usage expands. As of spring 2023, medicinal cannabis has been legalized in 38 states and the District of Columbia and 22 states allow recreational use of cannabis, according to the National Council of State Legislatures. While Washington state had more than $500 million in sales of legal cannabis in 2022, the supply of individuals with formal training and education has not kept up.
Both the Certificate in Cannabis Health Care and Medicine and Certificate in Cannabis Compliance & Risk Management are designed to be completed in approximately six months, with classes taught by leaders in the industry. The first course, “Cannabis 101: History and Practice Across Industries,” is the same for both certificates and does not need to be repeated for those pursuing both. The total cost for each six-month certificate is $2,950.
The Health Care and Medicine track covers everything from cannabis’ medical properties and ethics to autoimmune diseases and cancer treatment, and includes instruction by board-certified physicians, psychiatrists, clinical specialists and pharmacologists. The Compliance and Risk Management track prepares students with a comprehensive overview of federal and state regulations, history of the industry and instruction leading to becoming a Certified Commercial Cannabis Professional (CCCP) through the Association of Certified Commercial Cannabis Experts (ACCCE).
“Gonzaga’s history of offering the highest level of education to residents of the state and far beyond is second to none, and we are honored to be working with them,” says Daniel Kalef, Green Flower’s executive vice president of higher education. “As we have worked with the leaders of the Center for Lifelong Learning, we saw the commitment by the university of expanding offerings for working adults and lifelong learners as an obvious sign that the university wants to serve all types of students in every stage of their growth and careers.”
To learn more and register for Gonzaga’s cannabis certificate programs, cannabiseducation.gonzaga.edu.