Cannabis 101
Certification Program

Learning Objectives: Upon successfully finishing the Intro to Cannabis Basics class, you’ll have the knowledge to discuss the cannabis plant, including its origins and primary classifications. You’ll also be able to explain the key components of cannabis and their effects, identify common cannabis products, understand how to use them, and interpret labels on cannabis products.

Lesson 1: What Is Cannabis? – Cannabis serves diverse purposes, spanning recreation to healing. This lesson reveals the origins of the cannabis plant, illuminating its varied forms such as sativa, indica, hybrid, and ruderalis. You’ll also become acquainted with its components, seeds, and receive an introduction to the endocannabinoid system.

Lesson 2: Components of Cannabis – In this lesson, we dive into the essential elements found in marijuana, encompassing cannabinoids and terpenes, and their interactions with our bodies. We’ll navigate terms like the entourage effect, exploring how cannabis and its elements can influence emotions, including anxiety, appetite, memory, and various health conditions.

Lesson 3: Cannabis Products – As the cannabis industry thrives, grasping the extensive range of available products becomes crucial to understanding the basics of cannabis. This lesson dissects the differences between these products, including CBD:THC ratios, potency labels, and the skill of interpreting product information. You’ll also uncover various consumption methods and develop the ability to distinguish between high and low-quality cannabis products.

Learning Objectives: Upon completing the Intro Cannabis As Medicine class, you’ll be able to describe the history of medical cannabis in the US, assist individuals in registering as medical cannabis patients or caregivers across different regions, identify states with medical cannabis programs, outline possession and cultivation limits, and showcase the correct usage of various cannabis administration methods, including dosage, potential side effects, and interactions.

Lesson 1: History of Medical Cannabis – This lesson embarks on a journey through the origins and evolution of cannabis as a medicinal solution. We’ll explore the ancient cultivation of hemp, marijuana’s presence in the US Pharmacopoeia, historical cannabis laws, public research findings on marijuana, the impact of US political policies, and the historical exploration of various cannabis components.

Lesson 2: Medical Cannabis Programs in the United States and Canada – In this lesson, you’ll navigate the world of medical cannabis programs across different US states and Canada. Discover the conditions that qualify for medical cannabis treatment and the steps to enroll as a patient or caregiver. Explore a broad spectrum of medical conditions eased by cannabis and gain insights into the rules governing possession and cultivation.

Lesson 3: The Endocannabinoid System – This lesson sheds light on the body’s endocannabinoid system and its dynamic interaction with cannabinoids. We’ll uncover the historical connections between mammals and the endocannabinoid system, understand how cannabis contributes to a balanced system, and explore the implications of an imbalanced endocannabinoid system.

Lesson 4: Conditions Treated by Cannabis – In this lesson, we’ll focus on common medical symptoms alleviated by cannabis. Dive into peer-reviewed research regarding marijuana’s impact on the endocannabinoid system, explore palliative treatments using cannabis, and learn about the wide array of symptoms relieved by cannabis, including pain, inflammation, anxiety, depression, and more.

Lesson 5: Administering Cannabis – This lesson covers cannabis administration techniques, dosage adjustment strategies, sensitization protocols, strategies for avoiding adverse effects, and understanding cannabis interactions with other medications and alternative therapies.

Learning Objectives: After you complete the Intro to Cannabis Garden Setup, you’ll have the skills to plan and establish a basic indoor or outdoor cannabis garden growing one, or a few, plants. You’ll be able to describe different environmental concerns, grow mediums, security, and more.

Lesson 1: Before you Start Growing Cannabis – This lesson covers various aspects of cannabis plants, from their different parts to how they grow and reproduce. You’ll also learn about the crucial factors affecting plant growth, such as light, air, nutrients, water, and temperature. Additionally, the lesson helps you choose the right strain for your first cannabis garden, design an indoor growing space, decide on soil usage, and select appropriate lighting methods, including understanding wattage and different light types. Finally, it touches on security measures for your indoor cannabis garden.

Lesson 2: Setting Up your Indoor Marijuna Grow Area – This lesson focuses on building an ideal cannabis grow room, covering aspects like space requirements, insulation from external factors, cleanliness, airflow, water accessibility, electrical needs, fire safety, and lighting setup. It also dives into the importance of proper air circulation within the grow room, explaining the calculation of air exchange equipment needs and the use of fans for effective airflow. Temperature and humidity control are discussed, along with the impact of lighting on temperature.

Lesson 3: Getting Ready for your Cannabis Plants – In this lesson, you will learn how to prepare your space for cannabis plants. It’s crucial to provide your marijuana plants with the right soil, proper drainage, and essential nutrients. This lesson will guide you in selecting the necessary equipment for your cannabis garden, including various tools. You’ll also gain insights into managing water needs, understanding nutrient requirements, and implementing effective strategies for pest and disease control, all essential elements for a successful marijuana cultivation experience.

Learning Objectives: Upon completing the Intro How to Grow Cannabis class, you’ll be able to describe how to clone cannabis effectively. You’ll also be able to explain the care techniques for a cannabis plant throughout its various stages of growth, including vegetative, flowering, and pre-flowering stages. We’ll cover aspects like the rhizosphere, water, nutrients, and the environment. You’ll also be able to explain the process for harvesting, drying, trimming, curing, and storing the flowers, and be able to identify common cannabis problems such as pests, diseases, nutrient imbalances, and other issues.

Lesson 1: Cannabis Clones and Seeds – In this lesson, you’ll discover how to start your cannabis plant journey using either clones or seeds. We’ll explore the germination stage and delve into essential care techniques for young cannabis plants, including moving them into a suitable growing medium, providing light and nutrients, and offering valuable tips for nurturing them.

Lesson 2: Vegetative and Flowering Stages of Cannabis – In this lesson, we’ll discuss the specifics of the vegetative stage, including pruning techniques, transplanting, root care, water and nutrient requirements, and the ideal environmental conditions for indoor cannabis plants. Additionally, you’ll gain insights into identifying male cannabis plants, inducing flowering, and managing the flowering stage effectively.

Lesson 3: Harvesting, Curing, and Trimming Your Cannabis – This lesson focuses on the often underestimated but critical aspects of harvesting, curing, and trimming your cannabis. Discover how to determine the optimal time for harvesting by examining trichomes and pistils, along with the proper harvesting techniques. You’ll also learn about drying procedures, wet-trimming, the curing process, and proper storage methods for your cannabis flowers.

Lesson 4: Garden Troubleshooting – This lesson equips you with troubleshooting skills to address common issues that may arise. Explore topics such as identifying common cannabis pests, recognizing weed diseases, understanding nutrient disorders, and learning how to remedy problems like broken stems, nutrient burn, and light issues in your cannabis plants.

Learning Objectives: Upon completing the Intro to Cannabis Careers class, you will have the knowledge to describe the main roles and responsibilities, educational and experience prerequisites, chances for career growth, compensation expectations, and essential skill sets for key careers in the cannabis industry. This includes roles in cannabis cultivation such as growers, trimmers, and packagers, as well as positions in cannabis processing within extraction facilities, commercial cannabis kitchens, and infused-product facilities. Additionally, you’ll gain insights into cannabis dispensary and budtender careers, understanding their respective duties, qualifications, opportunities for advancement, salary prospects, and necessary skills.

Lesson 1: Cannabis Cultivation Careers – In this lesson, we dive into various career opportunities in the cannabis cultivation industry, such as marijuana growers, trimmers, and packagers. You’ll gain insights into the roles, responsibilities, education, experience, advancement options, compensation, and essential skills needed for success in these roles.

Lesson 2: Marijuana Processing Careers – This lesson sheds light on careers in cannabis processing, including work in commercial kitchens, extraction facilities, and infused product manufacturing. You’ll learn about the roles, requirements, education, experience, advancement prospects, compensation, and necessary skills for positions like lab technicians, chefs, and quality control personnel.

Lesson 3: Cannabis Dispensary and Budtender Careers – Explore the world of working in a cannabis dispensary in this lesson. Discover the roles, responsibilities, education, experience, advancement opportunities, compensation, and vital job skills for positions such as budtenders and dispensary managers.

Learning Objectives: By the end of the Intro to Cannabis Laws and Regulations class, you will be able to explain the current status of federal cannabis policies in the United States and Canada. Additionally, you will have the knowledge to outline the legal limits for cannabis possession and cultivation in a chosen US state and a Canadian province or territory.

Lesson 1: Cannabis Laws in the United States – Dive into adult use, medical, and recreational cannabis programs across states. Explore federal and state regulations, public opinions, legal complexities, court cases, federal laws, privacy issues, firearms, and insights into medical and recreational programs, including cannabis possession, distribution, manufacturing, cultivation, and trafficking.

Lesson 2: Cannabis Laws in Canada – Explore Canadian cannabis laws post-legalization. Focus on the Cannabis Act, federal healthcare initiatives, Health Canada’s role, qualifying conditions, and federal regulations on possession, public use, distribution, and cultivation. Also, discover unique regulations in Canadian provinces and territories.

Handouts and resources can be downloaded:

1. Definitions: Cannabis Basics Terminology
2. Chart: Characteristics Of Cannabis Types
3. Chart: Effects Of Common Cannabinoids
4. Chart: Effects of Common Cannabis Terpenes
5. Chart: Effects Of Common Cannabinoids On Receptors
6. Chart: Entourage Effects
7. Chart: Cannabis Consumption Methods
8. Chart: Storage For Cannabis Products
9. Calculator: Cannabis Dry Weight Conversions
10. Procedure: Dab Equipment And How To Dab
11. E-book: How To Become A Medical Cannabis Caregiver
12. E-book: How to Become a Cannabis Expert
13. E-book: How to Become a Marijuana Entrepreneur
14. Sample: Cover Letter For Dispensary Manager
15. Sample: Cover Letter For Entry Level Grower
16. Sample: Resume For Dispensary Manager
17. Sample: Resume For Entry Level Grower
18. E-book: How to Become a Cannabis Budtender
19. E-book: How to Become a Cannabis Dispensary Manager
20. Definitions: Cannabis Legal Terminology
21. Definitions: Cannabis Medical Terminology
22. Information Sheet: Top Ten Symptoms Relieved By Cannabis
23. Procedure: Finding the Right Dose
24. Procedure: 6-Day Cannabis Sensitization Protocol
25. Information Sheet: First Aid for Cannabis Side Effects
26. Chart: Cannabis Interactions With Other Drugs