Cannabis in College

The cannabis culture is continuing to spread to formal education – as it should. More and more colleges and universities are adding courses for students to learn about cannabis outside of the medical sense. From culture to policy, higher education institutions have recognized that marijuana means big business for them too. One of the latest to add cannabis to the curriculum is Temple University in Philadelphia. As cannabis continues to be a hot topic across the country, the need for expanded formal education in a multitude of fashions is real. As the conversation continues and more states move toward legalization, we will also start to see cannabis in college go mainstream.

The first of its kind, Temple University plans to add Marijuana in the News, a course for communications students that addresses how to handle the subject that will inevitably cross their paths during their careers. This course, contingent on enrollment, will be geared towards students seeking careers in journalism and public relations. Curriculum will include a thorough analysis of cannabis policy as well as the history of its prohibition.

The University of Denver was among the first universities to incorporate marijuana education into their law school by offering Representing the Marijuana Client. Several other schools have incorporated courses to their law degree programs over the past several years as well. These schools include Ohio State University’s Mortiz College of Law, Harvard University Law School, Vanderbilt University School of Law in Nashville, Tenn. Where previously, marijuana was discussed as part of classes on drug policy and criminal justice, marijuana is now getting its own courses. Full of ever-changing policy, schools have recognized that there is a need to provide in-depth education as it relates to marijuana laws, business and tax issues, and representing clients who work in the industry.

While most schools aren’t offering the “how-to” curriculum in all aspects of the industry as Oaksterdam University does, the direction that educational institutions are moving is encouraging. Providing practical application education to people involved with such a shifting industry outside of medical marijuana benefits everyone. Educating students on how to properly handle marijuana related issues in their aspiring careers is another facet that proves legitimacy to an often stigmatized industry.

And as the list of schools offering relevant marijuana education grows, we say learn on! You can expect cannabis in college to be a way of life. Perhaps one take-away from the marijuana movement is that learning is truly a life-long process. By opening our minds to learning new things, we can change the world.