Nebraska has its first cannabis certification program

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Doane University is introducing the online certification course

Cannabis isn’t even legal in Nebraska, but the state is already seeing it make an appearance in higher education facilities. While medical marijuana legalization may come next year, Doane University has gotten the ball rolling on providing information on the topic and has launched a new professional cannabis certification program. In doing so, it has become the first university in Nebraska to embrace the topic.

The course contains three self-paced classes that can be taken online. The program is called Cannabis Science and Industries: Seeds to Needs, and is led by industry experts and academia who hold MD and Ph.D. credentials. The courseware is scheduled to be added to the curriculum choices sometime this fall.

According to a press release on the course, “Doane’s Professional Cannabis Certificate is designed to meet the interests of students who would like to enter the cannabis field, including cultivators and processors. The program also provides a foundation of knowledge for those interested in working in ancillary professions within the cannabis industry such as marketing, business, finance, and administration. The program provides comprehensive content that will be of interest to a wide audience.”

The courses cover cannabis science, wellness, cultivation and processing, compliance and regulations, safety, economic impacts and professional advancement in the cannabis field. It follows the state’s legalization of hemp products after Governor Pete Rickets approved the Nebraska Hemp Farming Act three months ago. That bill was designed to mimic the 2018 Federal Farm Bill.

The course material was put together by a couple of individuals who have spent the past several years expanding their scientific knowledge on the subject of cannabis. One is Dr. Amanda McKinney, the university’s Associate Dean of Health Sciences and its Executive Director of the Institute for Human and Planetary Health. She explains, “Cannabis has been studied in-depth and much is published in medical literature on the benefits that can be provided from some of its component molecules. While not a ‘cure-all’, cannabinoids can and should be used as they are safe and efficacious for many disorders.”

She adds, “Doane’s Professional Cannabis Program is based on innovation, advancement of science, cutting edge pedagogy, and the program will be expanded over time as the industry grows and federal regulations change.”