8 minute read
Schooled
Schooled: Cannabis Knowledge is Power
STORY BY TIERA N. WRIGHT PHOTOS SUBMITTED & ISTOCK
As Greek philosopher, Heraclitus once said, “There is nothing permanent except change.” Which, when you consider alcohol and even playing Pinball were at one point deemed illegal and banned in the United States (with the latter frowned upon and seen as a gateway to delinquency for children and its ties to gambling), truer words have never been spoken.
No industry has seen more change and growth in the past ten years than cannabis, which saw the legalization of medical marijuana in 2012, followed by recreational marijuana in 2016. With the first recreational sales of marijuana kicking off in 2018, gross sales in Massachusetts were reported to have exceeded $2 billion in 2021. Ever-evolving, cannabis has been defined by shifting attitudes in every aspect of the industry, from means of ingestion/uses (smoking, topicals, and edibles) to common misconceptions that have been debunked (no, it is not a gateway drug or addictive); but cannabis has now graduated to the top of its class as more colleges and universities are adding cannabis related studies to their curriculum and degree programs. “The cannabis industry is one that has experienced tremendous growth in the past few years,” said Susanne Swanker, PhD, dean of American International College’s (AIC) School of Business, Arts, and Science. “As the number of states legalizing recreational and medical marijuana use increases, the career opportunities in this industry will continue to grow.”
Although cannabis has continued to grow in popularity (highly celebrated holidays 4/20, 7/10 and Croptober— anyone) and its continually innovative mainstream uses (CBD bath soaks/ bombs, cannabis-infused meals, and desserts, etc.), there are many who still need to be educated and aspects of the industry that still need to be taught, and like with everything else, there is no shortage of lessons to be learn. “Since the 1930s there has been a tremendous push to portray cannabis in a negative light, comparing its usage and effects to the likes of cocaine and heroin, among other substances,” said Stacey Brothers-McAllister. A graduate of AIC’s first graduating class in 2021, Brothers-McAllister received a Master of Science in Cannabis Science and Commerce after working for nearly 20 years in the epidemiology field. “I have been able to see the medical advancements of using cannabis for terminal and chronic illnesses. I was also able to learn about cannabis, studying early world history in my undergraduate program and I was intrigued by its medicinal usage. This led me to want to take a deeper dive into how cannabis affects the human body from a non-bias perspective.”
Launched in Fall 2020, AIC’s master’s program in Cannabis Science and
Commerce, is an online 30-credit course offered in the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters with students admitted into the program several times a year. With “options for completion in either 12 or 20 months,” Swanker continued, “students are provided with an understanding of cannabis science, including horticulture, cultivation, chemistry, uses, and delivery systems. The laws and policies regulating this industry are introduced, with a focus on how these impact and shape business operations, marketing, and communications. Finally, students apply business concepts such as logistics, supply chain, inventory, and project management to the cannabis industry.” Additionally, AIC also offers Micro-Emerging Markets, a certificate in Cannabis Studies program, “which is comprised of three undergraduate courses in cannabis, related to business, laws, and policies.”
With the cannabis industry landscape being what it
is, it’s hard to imagine those who got in on the ground floor not relishing in the success that it is today. Shortly after the legalization of medical marijuana, the cannabis industry was still in its infancy in Massachusetts and therefore cannabis in relation to education was still on a steep learning curve. Prescient, and ahead of its time, the Northeastern Institute of Cannabis (NIC), not to be confused or affiliated with Northeastern University, opened in 2014 in Natick, MA with the intention of helping students, “get their foot in the door at these [marijuana industry] places, and it’s probably going to be a leg up” said NIC’s founder Mickey Martin in a 2014 Boston Magazine article, “The Northeastern Institute of Cannabis Is Helping Students Get Into the Marijuana Industry,” by Luke O’Neil. In the article, O’Neil described the program offered by NIC as “a 12-course basic-training program to help students get into the burgeoning marijuana industry. With classes in everything from cannabis laws and safety to patient services and the history and science of the plant.” Unfortunately, Martin didn’t get to see his dream fully realized, as he died suddenly in 2017 which resulted in the school’s closure. As reported in a 2019 article by MassLive, students’ tuition payments were reimbursed after the school closed. Additionally, in 2017 it was reported by 7News, that after two years the school’s license application was still pending with the state and still had not been granted as the state, at the time, had no standards governing how these types of schools should operate.
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SUSANNE SWANKER, PhD. DEAN OF THE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, ARTS AND SCIENCES AT AIC
STACEY BROTHERS
Today, there are several Massachusetts colleges and universities, including AIC, that are currently offering educational programs centered around the cannabis industry including Boston University, Clark University (noted as the nation’s first certificate program in regulatory affairs on cannabis control), Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, and Mount Wachusett Community College. Additionally, Holyoke Community College (HCC), in conjunction with the Cannabis Education Center, offers training programs such as Extraction Technician and Culinary Assistant, both of which are preceded by Cannabis Core. Per HCC’s website, prospective students can expect to learn, “the basic fundamentals needed to work in a cannabis extraction laboratory”; “an overview of cooking and baking techniques used to create edibles”; and “an overview of the cannabis industry in MA and…general knowledge as they consider a cannabis career,” respectively.
“As the industry grows, so too are career opportunities,” said Swanker. Furthermore, Swanker added, “Individuals with a degree in Cannabis Science and Commerce seeking employment in the cannabis field will have the advantage of knowledge about the industry.” Swanker further explained AIC’s courses maintain relevancy and stay current with a “team of AIC faculty and cannabis-industry experts regularly reviewing and revising the curriculum to ensure that the content is relevant and appropriate for the program”; also, “we are in the process of conducting a post-graduate survey…the results of which will be used to inform programmatic change.” Added Brothers-McAllister, “What I appreciated most about the structure of the program is that the materials used were not located in an outdated textbook but was based off scientific publications and current videos/articles. It is no secret that throughout history there is a shortage of positive publications to research cannabis, so modern-day articles play a significant role in this program. There was also a precedence that was set from the beginning of the program that no one was attempting to sway your beliefs about cannabis one way or the other, rather we were able to get as much information as possible, from all aspects and formulate our own opinions. So, I think as time goes on and more publications/ videos/articles become available, these will be incorporated into the program so that the information provided stays relevant.”
Moreover, Brothers-McAllister explained, “This program is not about getting ‘high,’ it is about social justice reform, the legal aspects of cannabis specifically, the chemistry of cannabis and what stamp you can leave on society to make it a better place. I am honored to be a part of the first graduating class of this program.” Given her background in epidemiology, and with a Master of Science in Cannabis Science and Commerce from AIC under her belt, Brothers-McAllister hopes to “offer a line of teas with small amounts of THC, as an alternative to coffee, that would alleviate chronic pain, depression, anxiety and overall performance that effect so many people every day of their lives.”
Concluded Brothers-McAllister, “Cannabis is an extraordinary cannabinoid that has many health benefits. I would hope that from an educational perspective the conversation of cannabis will shift to less of a taboo word and become more of a staple in the medical industry. There are cutting edge advancements being created every single day to improve quality of life, and the use of cannabinoids deserves the opportunity to be a part of those advancements.” For more information or to learn about the programs offered by American International College, visit aic.edu/ cannabis.
