“ALMOST HALF OF THE
FIFTY US STATES HAVE
NOW RECOGNIZED
THERAPEUTIC USES FOR
MARIJUANA, INCLUDING
THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA. IT HAS BEEN A
LONG ROAD, BUT THE END
OF THAT ROAD IS COMING
UP FAST, AND PEOPLE
NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR
IT WHEN IT GETS HERE.”
the entrepreneurial side of things or they
can switch to a bioanalytical track wherein
they take more advanced topics in both
biology and chemistry. Focus is even placed
on laboratory accreditation standards,
which will allow students and graduates
to not only work in these labs, but also
understand the steps required to create
their own operations and laboratories.
The Value of Medicinal Marijuana
A 2015 article published in Forbes stated
that legal cannabis may be the very best
opportunity for entrepreneurs, startups,
and investments. The economy of
marijuana is expected to more than triple
by 2020. Even related industries, such as
laboratories being utilized for analysis of
the marijuana and the shipping companies
which carry the freight, are expecting
to see huge boosts in their income and
growth. The American Chemical Society
has even recognized Cannabis Chemistry
as an official subdivision and is beginning
to provide scholarships and presentations
on the topic.
The stigma which has traditionally been
associated with marijuana is vanishing,
if not already gone. Though the economy
surrounding marijuana is beginning to
boom, there is still a huge lag in both
educational opportunity for people who
are in the field and research on the plant
itself. For the industry and the people
in the industry to grow and prosper,
education and research is going to quickly
become essential to success. Not only
that, but additional research and public
outreach will help companies bridge the
gap between what the public thinks about
marijuana and what they actually know
about it.
Tying It All Together
What do you think about the educational
opportunities that are popping up around
the country for marijuana studies?
Traditionally,
marijuana
has
been
something that people have associated
with lawlessness and laziness, certainly
not higher education. It is interesting to
see the way marijuana is viewed by the
general public shifting so quickly and in
such a profound way.
For more information about the
program at Northern Michigan University,
visit them online at nmu.edu/chemistry/
medicinal-plant-chemistry.
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