If you use any cannabis product, whether it be recreational marijuana or CBD gummies, you might be wondering what the cannabis industry is like. The market for cannabis products has exploded over the last few years, and it has become quite a lucrative industry for those anywhere in the supply chain. If you are interested in learning more about the cannabis industry and how you can get involved, many great programs can jumpstart your career. Luckily for you, many of them are online or don’t require a massive time commitment to finish.

During this unprecedented time in our history, many people are looking for new hobbies or goals to keep them occupied. This article will detail four cannabis education programs that are free for anyone to complete and could make entering the cannabis industry a whole lot easier after quarantine is over.

Green Flower

CEO of Green Flower Max Simon understands how difficult it is for many right now and how different life has become in just a few short weeks. He believes that although we are physically distanced, we have become much closer emotionally. Green Flower was founded on the mission to educate the world on the benefits of cannabis, and Simon feels as though that mission becomes increasingly crucial as quarantine continues. For this reason, Simon decided to offer his most popular online cannabis certification programs for free. All you need to do is go to their website and enter your information, and the course will be emailed to you.

The class contains everything you’ll need to learn about cannabis and its medicinal properties. Also, the lessons will help you become well-versed on the cannabis industry itself, as well as the different products within the industry and how they are used. All of this knowledge is what Green Flower considers essential to succeeding within the cannabis industry, so it is a great thing to pick up if you have some extra time.

Oaksterdam University

Oaksterdam University is considered the country’s most prestigious cannabis university. Based out of Oakland, California, the university was founded in 2007 and offers programs designed to provide the most in-depth and comprehensive cannabis education available. Those who have graduated from Oaksterdam University have gone on to become some of the most widely recognized cannabis professionals in the world, including lawyers, farmers, activists, and entrepreneurs. The university offers courses in both cannabis business and horticulture, meaning you can enter the industry at any place in the production chain. Both programs are available as a one-semester in-person certification or online.

Right now, Oaksterdam University has opted to offer three of their popular classes for free online. These classes include an advocacy course, a lesson about cannabis and the opioid crisis, and a horticulture sample class. Once you are enrolled, you have access to the class materials for 180 days to complete the course. There aren’t any scheduled times to complete assignments, and all of the work is yours to finish by the end of the 180 days.

Coursera

Coursera is a platform that hosts many different online courses, but this one offered by the Israel Institute of Technology is currently free for anyone to enroll in. The course is called Medical Cannabis for Pain Control, and it now has a 4.5-star rating from 55 reviews. More than 7,000 people have already enrolled in the course for the upcoming period, and it takes approximately 32 hours to complete. The deadlines for assignments are flexible and can be reset if you need to accommodate a different schedule. It’s a beginner level course suitable for anyone to understand, and the content is subtitled in English, Spanish, Hebrew, and Arabic.

Epic Hint

Epic Hint is currently offering free course materials in a unique field: budtending. If you’re unfamiliar with what bud tending is, we will explain. A budtender is a technical title for those working in a dispensary, and they help customers decide on the ideal cannabis product for their needs. It’s certainly not an easy job and not one to be taken lightly, as budtenders need to know virtually everything about cannabis strains and cannabis science to be able to serve their customers effectively.

With Epic Hint, you can complete your budtender training in 45 days using their free program. The company also allows you access to a database of dispensaries looking to hire budtenders so you can break into the industry faster. Starting as a budtender will enable you to climb the ladder of the cannabis industry, giving you all the knowledge you need to kickstart an exciting career.