University of New England to offer online Cannabis education classes
Four certificate programs will train students about business, medical, legal and agricultural aspects of the cannabis industry.
The University of New England Online will soon offer a set of classes aimed at teaching students about one of the state’s fastest-growing and most lucrative industries: cannabis.
The Biddeford-based college on Wednesday announced a set of four certificate programs for the online school that cover business, health care and medicine, law and policy and agriculture and horticulture in the cannabis industry.
UNE is partrening with Green Flower, a cannabis education company in California, to offer the certification programs.
“The cannabis industry is one of the fastest growing market opportunities here in Maine and across the country,” said Beth Taylor-Nolan, dean of UNE Online. “As an institution committed to providing accessible, relevant, and affordable professional development and career education opportunities, UNE is excited to partner with Green Flower to train individuals interested in entering this dynamic industry.”
UNE is the first school in Maine to partner with Green Flower, but it’s not the first to venture into cannabis-related education.
In 2022, Beal University in Bangor launched a cannabis and medical plant sciences degree program. The university now offers courses in cannabis science, cannabis business administration, cannabis business operations and medicinal plant sciences.
In 2022 The University of Maine also offered a one-credit introductory course to cannabis cultivation and science, but it’s unclear if the class is still offered.
Cannabis has quickly become Maine’s most valuable cash crop. Together, the state’s medical and recreational markets brought in almost $500 million last year – more than potatoes, blueberries, hay and maple syrup combined.
But the markets have also been struggling to keep up with the industry’s rapid growth. Business owners are combatting concerns about market saturation, which is driving the price of cannabis down while the costs of running the business, including payroll and energy bills, are only increasing.
At the same time, cannabis companies have limited access to banking because the drug is still federally illegal.
Maine has 157 registered recreational shops, 66 medical dispensaries and an estimated 289 medical storefronts. Caregivers are not required to report their stores, so the state Office of Cannabis Policy believes the number is likely much higher.
There are another 87 cultivation sites and 70 manufacturing facilities in the adult-use market, and an untold number in the medical market.
