KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Nearly 200 medical marijuana dispensaries will open later this year in Missouri. But with a workforce that has little to no experience, some who are vying for jobs are trying to get a leg up on the industry.
On Saturday, an out-of-state medical marijuana dispensary, Herbal Remedies Dispensary from Quincy, Illinois, held a 'budtender' workshop explaining the dos and don’ts of the industry.
"Just because you use cannabis, doesn't qualify you as a good candidate to work in this industry,” Chris Wildrick, CEO and co-owner Herbal Remedies Dispensary, said. “It just takes so much more.”
The class teaches the rules and regulations of Missouri's medical marijuana industry, what to look for in the cannabis plant, right dosages and an overall better understanding of the industry.
“We get into what makes cannabis medicine, its therapeutic properties, the different chemical compounds in the cannabis plant and really hone in on that ,” Wildrick said. “So that way individuals have a fundamental knowledge of when they're speaking to their patients that come to the dispensary, what is their goal with cannabis, what are they trying to treat, what is their lifestyle.”
More than a people dozen attended the all-day 'budtender' class in Claycomo.
"[I wanted to] expand my knowledge about the cannabis plant and its medicinal values and the industry in general and Missouri laws," said Jacque Hill-Barton, of Novalux.
James Bullock, who has a medical marijuana has card but also wants to get into industry, said the knowledge from the class will help him get “higher up on the list” when businesses start looking for employees.
At the end of the class, attendees received a certification for attending. The dispensary hopes to host another workshop whenever dispensaries are about to open.
