Cannabis is a $1.1 billion industry in Washington, and there are programs across the state designed to get people into the business or to help those who are already in it.

Gonzaga University has partnered with a company called Green Flower to offer certificate programs in Cannabis Health care and Medicine and Cannabis Compliance and Risk Management. Launched in 2023, the program invites visitors to the website to “kickstart their cannabis career.”

“While we do see participation from traditional college-age students, the majority of enrollees are returning adult learners — individuals who have already established careers and are now seeking to transition into the cannabis industry,” said Rachelle Strawther, founding director of Gonzaga’s Center for Lifelong Learning.

Seattle Central College, Tacoma Community College, and the Washington State Department of Health also offer cannabis certificate programs in areas from cultivation to medical consulting.

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Recreational marijuana was legalized in Washington in 2012, one of the first states to do so, alongside Colorado.

“There’s a lot of opportunity ahead and a lot to learn,” said Max Simon, CEO of Green Flower. “We have partnerships with over 60 colleges and universities across the country to power their cannabis programs.”

Shilo Kumpf owns cannabis stores in Pasco and Spokane under her company, Lucky Leaf Co. She recently took Gonzaga’s cannabis health care and medicine course because she said she had family members and customers battling cancer. Kumpf wanted to understand more about how cannabis products might help.

Cannabis can sometimes help ease chemotherapy-induced nausea, according to a study from the Journal of Clinical Oncology. And there are a multitude of medicinal uses for it, according to the online cannabis course, said Kumpf.

“A lot of it is learning what topicals work for arthritis or even dry skin, learning about dosages,” she said.

Kumpf opened her first store in 2015, and said a lot has changed in the last 10 years.

“There weren’t a lot of edibles, and there weren’t a lot of tinctures,” said Kumpf, who added that early gummies and cookies had a strong, gross flavor.

“Now we have cannabis sorbet ice creams,” she said.

Rather than buying flower, people are more into rosin and dabs, said Kumpf.

Dabs and rosin are concentrated forms of marijuana. People use various specially made tools to heat the dab or rosin and then inhale the vapors.

People’s tolerance level for cannabis has increased as new products have lined the shelves over time, Kumpf said.

“Taking a dab, that’s 80% THC compared to 30% or 40% THC in flower,” she said.

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THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the compound that produces a psychoactive effect when smoked or ingested.

Cannabis sales in Washington in April were about $93 million, according to Headset, a cannabis data platform.

Simon says his company has grown rapidly over the last 10 years. He said his medical-centered cannabis course attracts all kinds of health care practitioners, from traditional medical doctors and nurses to alternative health care specialists, like chiropractors and acupuncturists.

“ They take these programs mostly because their patients are asking them information, and they don’t really have good credible knowledge, and oftentimes in medical schools or traditional schools, these subjects really aren’t taught at all,” Simon said.

Tacoma Community College’s certificate program starts May 7, and programs at the Washington State Department of Health and Seattle Central College are rolling online programs that can be taken anytime.

Registration for Gonzaga’s online cannabis classes are open until May 11.

Lauren Paterson is a reporter with Northwest Public Broadcasting. This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.

It is part of OPB’s broader effort to ensure that everyone in our region has access to quality journalism that informs, entertains and enriches their lives. To learn more, visit our journalism partnerships page.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2025/05/12/washington-cannabis-training-programs/