Northern Michigan University First to Offer Four-Year Degree in Marijuana Studies
The business of marijuana farming and sales continues to boom in the United States as more states make it legal to posses for personal use. Higher Education (no pun intended) is responding the increasing economic impact of the trend.
Northern Michigan University has distinguished itself as the first to offer a full-fledged degree in the field.
Fox News reports that. “while other colleges and universities offer classes or certificates in marijuana policy and law, Northern Michigan breaks ground to offer the first four-year degree dedicated to the science and business of growing marijuana.”
Northern Michigan University in Marquette began its program this semester, with about a dozen students in the first class, the Detroit Free Press reported. The program combines chemistry, biology, botany, horticulture, marketing and finance in the aim of creating a degree that will touch on all areas of the cannibas industry.
According to a report in The Cannabist, “Brandon Canfield, an associate chemistry professor at Northern Michigan, said students don’t grow marijuana plants in the program, but instead look to other plants that are traditionally recognized with medicinal value but aren’t illegal to grow. Students learn how to measure and extract the compounds in the plants that can be used for medicinal purposes, then transfer that knowledge to marijuana, which has been used to treat a variety of illnesses, including chronic pain, nausea, seizures and glaucoma.”
So while it may be cool to say, “Dude, I’m getting a degree in weed!” the program does not appear to an easy ride.
Oh, and for the record, let’s call it Medicinal Plant Chemistry.