Baltimore-based University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, in conjunction with the Americans for Safe Access advocacy group, launched an online training program June 29 for individuals interested in working in the state's growing medical marijuana industry, according to The News Tribune.
Under state law, marijuana growers, processors, dispensaries and laboratories must be certified, though physicians do not need specific training before prescribing medical cannabis. State officials told The News Tribune the burden will be on businesses to ensure individuals are adequately trained for their positions. Businesses and organizations involved in the growing and distribution of medical marijuana will also undergo regular inspections.
Americans for Safe Access hired the requisite instructors for the 30-hour program and created the curriculum, which the university's pharmacy school "vetted and adjusted," according to the report. The courses will focus on various aspects of the industry, including laws and regulations, plant and product consistency, pesticides, sanitation, operating procedures and labeling and inventory control.
Since launching the certification program, university officials said they have received interest from individuals in Maryland, West Virginia, California and the District of Columbia, according to the report.
"We wanted to be there as a resource," said Magaly Rodriguez de Bittner, PharmD, a professor and associate dean for clinical services and practice transformation at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and executive director of the school's Center for Innovative Pharmacy Solutions. "If [people are] going to be dispensing … [we want] make sure [the] staff [is] trained in best practices to do it safely and effectively."