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Maryland launches Cannabis Workforce Development effort

Maryland Governor Wes Moore has announced the launch of the Cannabis Workforce Development Program, an effort of the Maryland Cannabis Administration.

The new program aims to train and support workers for Maryland’s growing cannabis industries.

Recreational cannabis became legal a year ago, on July 1, 2023. Medical cannabis became legal in the state in 2014.

State officials say the Cannabis Workforce Development Program is “the first workforce development initiative developed and administered by a cannabis regulatory agency in the nation.”

“This program, which will prioritize individuals with a history of cannabis-related offenses, is launching after Governor Moore’s historic pardon of more than 175,000 cannabis charges last Monday,” said the governor’s office on June 27.

“This groundbreaking collaboration will support Marylanders interested in joining the state’s growing cannabis industry and prioritize individuals and communities directly impacted by the War on Drugs,” said Gov. Moore. “For decades, cannabis policy has been used as a cudgel. Together, we prove how cannabis policy can be used as a valuable tool to leave no one behind.”

The Cannabis Workforce Development Program will be offered free to eligible applicants. It’s a joint partnership with the Maryland Cannabis Administration and the Maryland Department of Labor’s Employment Advancement Right Now (EARN) Program.

“The program will help reduce barriers to employment and create paths to sustainable jobs in the cannabis industry,” say state officials.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis starting July 1.

“Maryland is leading on cannabis reform and reinforcing that legalization must be accompanied by efforts to address the burdens of criminalization,” said Maryland Cannabis Administration Director Will Tilburg. “Through this program, individuals adversely impacted by cannabis criminalization will be able to receive real-time, hands-on experience and access to job placement.”

Program participants will have access to eight instructor-led, self-paced courses taught by industry experts, licensed operators, and college professors. Upon completion of 100 cumulative hours of virtual coursework and instruction, participants may enroll in a two-day intensive in-person course that provides 16 hours of hands-on occupational training. In-person training will be offered once per month beginning in November 2024 at locations across the state.

Anticipated locations and dates for the initial roll-out of the Cannabis Workforce Development Program include:

–November 2024: Baltimore Region

–December 2024: Anne Arundel County

–January 2025: Southern Region

–February 2025: Prince George’s County

–March 2025: Eastern Region

–April 2025: Western Region.

“EARN promotes jobs and economic growth in Maryland, and the cannabis industry offers opportunities for entrepreneurs and career seekers,” said Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Portia Wu. “We wanted to prioritize that opportunity for residents who have been limited in the past by a prior cannabis-related conviction.”

The Maryland Cannabis Administration received a $122,000 grant from EARN to jumpstart the program. The program has made partnerships with several licensed cannabis operators and two institutions of higher education — Anne Arundel Community College and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

To learn more about the program, visit www.cannabis.maryland.gov.