Florida Gulf Coast University cannabis program brings out high achievers: ‘This class is awesome’

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Medical marijuana. (Credit: News Service of Florida)
Medical marijuana. (Credit: News Service of Florida)

Florida is one of the fastest-growing medical marijuana markets in the country. Now, Florida Gulf Coast University is offering a brand new type of certification. It will help Florida’s cannabis professionals rise to the top of the industry.

FGCU offers professionals who deal with cannabis a unique opportunity.

“This is I believe the only multi-disciplinary professional certificate program in the country,” said Martha Rosenthal, an FGCU professor of neuroscience and physiology.

It is a five-day course focusing on the history of the law, the plant and the cultivation, along with how it interacts with the science of the body. The class is in such high demand that the university plans to offer another one in August.

The educational program has brought a diverse group of people together.

“This class is awesome!” said Sally Coleman, a certified public accountant for Hill, Barth & King. “I have a degree in horticulture as well as accounting, so when I found out about the class, I was the first one to sign up.”

Jeff Konin, a vice president for Global Education and Research at the American Institute of Balance, said his primary function is to educate other healthcare providers about the effects of cannabis.

Konin said the growing industry’s biggest challenge is most people lack knowledge about cannabis.

“I don’t know what I don’t know,” Konin said. “As much as I think I’m a little bit ahead of the game, I now know how much further behind the rest of us are.”

Konin took the opportunity to focus on one thing.

“How do we help educate our educators?” Konin said.

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