Oakton approves program for medical marijuana specialist certificate

Oakton Community College has approved a new program to train students to work in the medical marijuana industry, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Students in the program will earn a certificate as a cannabis dispensary and patient care specialist, officials at the Des Plaines-based school told the Sun-Times. It will be added to the curriculum this fall if it receives approval from the Illinois Community College Board.

School officials said the passage of the laws allowing a pilot program for medical cannabis and an opioid pilot program that allows medical marijuana for alternate pain management shows there is a need for academic programs, the Sun-Times reported.

Oakton would become the first community college to offer a credit-based certificate that provides training for entry-level medical cannabis employees and people working in the industry, the Sun-Times reported.