Baton Rouge -- Louisiana State University (LSU) announced today plans to partner with Green Flower Media, an online platform for cannabis education. The launch will include four new online medical marijuana instruction certificate programs as the state anticipates more than $400 million in legal marijuana sales in the next two years.

All the non-credit curricula provide interested professionals or students with the specialized knowledge and skills for successful careers in the highly regulated medical cannabis field. The first session of online classes for the certificate programs will begin next month in 2023.

Currently, medical/healthcare-related jobs in the U.S. employ more than 16 million, encompassing nearly 250,000 in Louisiana. Meanwhile, cannabis industry jobs are on a trajectory to increase more than twofold in the next five years–but the industry faces issues filling qualified professionals to fill integral positions.

Both Green Flower and LSU believe the mission of cannabis education empowers the next generation of business leaders and propels the industry forward.

The certificated courses will be open for enrollment online through the LSU Continuing Education program. And the curriculum will benefit job seekers in healthcare fields, cultivators, retail professionals, regulators, company executives, and advocates.

Classes start every eight weeks, and there are no prerequisites to enroll. Certificate subjects comprise the following four courses:

- Cannabis Healthcare & Medicine

- Cannabis Agriculture & Horticulture

- Cannabis Compliance & Risk Management

- The Business of Cannabis

Each program consists of three eight-week courses that students can complete within six months. Classes are instructor-led and entirely online. Upon program completion, students will receive a certificate from the university.

Courses are available to everyone 18 years or older, and no LSU enrollment is required. Registration is now open. Visit the LSU website to register or learn more about cannabis certificates.