We are all well aware of how fast the cannabis industry is growing nowadays. I mean, look at the facts people; cannabis is now legal for medicinal purposes in over 30 states, and almost all of those have legalized marijuana for recreational purposes as well. While there are some states, like Idaho and Texas, that have been very stubborn when it comes to legalizing medical marijuana in a significant way, it is safe to say that we have made a lot of progress over the last decade. With that being said, I think that it is important to point out all the opportunities that lay ahead for people that want to work in the marijuana industry (now that it is legal). Everyone’s first thought when they think of working in the mariuana industry is just selling it on the street corner or something like that. Maybe that’s how it used to be, but not any more.
Nowadays, marijuana is becoming a very regulated, lucrative, and inclusive industry with lots of options opening up for people on the job search. The idea of a job related to the cannabis industry would have been looked down upon even 10 years ago - however, it can bring you some serious cash and a lot of colleges and universities are beginning to develop courses based around the cannabis industry. After all, every industry needs professionals of some sort! With that being said, I wanted to take the time to talk about some of the opportunities for anyone looking into a career in marijuana. The great thing about getting into the cannabis industry right now is that there will always be job security, as this industry continues to grow upwards. We can look forward to when marijuana is made federally legal, and we will then be seeing even more job opportunities open up on a regular basis. So let’s talk about actual jobs in the cannabis field (no pun intended).
The first career path that is in great need is a cannabis horticulturist. If you are not sure what a horticulturist is, it’s basically just a fancy word for plant scientist. These are the people who know everything there is to know about the cannabis plant on a chemical level and will be familiar with every stain and type of cannabis: whether it’s sativa, indica, or ruderalis. These horticulturists mostly begin doing their work at home with their own research and marijuana plants to work with. However, state legislation has created new demand for high-end cannabis horticulturists as each state begins to flesh out its medical marijuana programs. Who ever said pot wouldn’t take you anywhere? Scientists who know all there is to know about the marijuana plant are going to be in great demand in the coming years.
Another job that one interested in marijuana could pursue is a master extractor. This type of career path would perhaps entail a degree in chemistry or biology, making sure that you know all there is about the marijuana plant. A master extractor would work closely with marijuana plants to extract oils that can be used to make tinctures, concentrates, and various other liquids that can be used for cannabis consumption. There is going to be a huge demand for this job as we see an increase in the amount of people preferring to use marijuana through concentrates and tinctures. There are already some extraction technician trainings available at trade colleges in states like California and Colorado, where weed has been legal for quite some time. This is a good sign that these jobs will be in demand in other states soon to come.