Cannabis: Commerce, Culture, and Compliance

This course will give students a generalist understanding of the key structures, stakeholders, issues, and trends encompassing the cannabis industry in the US today. Students will view this rapidly growing and changing industry through the lens of the business owners, employees, regulators, lawyers, consumers, and members of affected communities. Beginning with an overview of the plant's history and uses, we follow the evolution of events that brought us to where we are today - witnessing the rapid decriminalization, adoption, and normalization of a culture of cannabis consumption in a variety of ways for both medical and recreational purposes. 

Students will learn about the expansion of the industry and job growth in production, licensing, marketing, and distribution from current practitioners and consultants in the field. They will understand how accountants and money managers in the industry use creative techniques to manage cash flow from cannabis operations under the existing federal ban, and explore the legal and regulatory frameworks that industry stakeholders must navigate to remain in compliance. Students will also consider the ethical issues facing the industry as a whole as it balances sustained growth while minimizing negative effects on communities, public health, and the environment. 

This is a special topics course that may cover different aspects of the cannabis industry each time the course runs.

Class delivery: This is a Blended course that alternates between in-person and asynchronous online class sessions. 

The course will alternate between in-person weeks and online weeks. Alternating online weeks will be taught via our eLearning LMS. Platform. We will also offer the in-person sessions live via web conferencing (Zoom) for students who cannot come to campus.

Please note: College credit will not be awarded upon completion of this course.