BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The discussion surrounding legal marijuana and the cannabis industry is growing in Western New York.
The University at Buffalo will host a special panel, led by a professor from Niagara County Community College (NCCC) to answer questions about public health and education, Thursday, July 28.
Discussions and insights about marijuana from industry professionals will be called “From Legacy to Legalization".
UB Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research director, Professor R. Lorraine Collins said, One of the things I will be trying to do is highlighting the importance of cannabis as an area of concern for public health. Also, I want to touch on research and how important it is for us as we move forward with regulation of cannabis."
Professor Collins, who is also an associate dean for research in the School of Public Health and Professions, said it is important to introduce the broader WNY community to the current status of the implementation of marijuana regulation in the state.
Professor Collins said, “One of the things that people are interested in is how can they get involved. So, there's information about cultivation, there's information about job opportunities that are available in Western New York."
The event runs form 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in room 147 of Diefendorf Hall on the University's South Campus.
One of the dozens of experts who will be in attendance at the free event is Melissa Moore. Moore is the horticulture instructor at NCCC.
She hopes to share how education can prevent you from making naive mistakes in the growing process.
"It benefits them by actually learning how to grow a crop that will bring yield and desire. I see that where people have a lot passion, and they go into the industry with cultivation or manufacturing, they actually don't know that plant as well,” NCCC Horticulture instructor, Melissa Moore said.
“Medical Applications of Cannabis" is one of two new courses that will opened up at the NCCC, this fall.
In Spring 2023, the community college will have a “Products and Technologies" course. The community college currently has four courses that have been running for the past two years.
"Medical Applications is really going to introduce the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and how it works. How phytocannabinoids interact with the endocannabinoids system. We are going to go over drug interaction, dosing methods. Pretty much by the end of the course, you should feel confident in how to help someone apply for medical endocannabinoid therapy,” Moore said.
The course will be offered online and in-person at the community college. There is also an option through workforce development.
"It's going to help scholarships throughout the four colleges involved. So, we're the leader on the grant but we also have ECCC, JCCC and GCCC,” Moore said.
Professor Collins added, “Particularly for people who are not currently in the cannabis space. I think this can be useful information, just to get them started, thinking about and also for those who have thought about it."
For more information and to register, click here.
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