Pubdate: Tue, 18 Aug 2015
Source: Metro (Vancouver, CN BC)
Copyright: 2015 Metro Canada
Contact:  http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3775
Author: Thandi Fletcher
Page: 5

UNIVERSITY OFFERS COURSE ON HOW TO GROW, SELL POT

Program looks at plant cultivation, marketing

It's high time a B. C. university offered a class on how to grow and
sell medical marijuana.

That was the thought process behind a new course being offered at
Kwantlen Polytechnic University starting this fall, according to Jim
Pelton, the university's executive director of continuing and
professional studies.

He said the idea for the course came about after university faculty
spoke with licensed medical-marijuana producers in B. C. and realized
there was hunger for a class on the subject.

"It became pretty clear that there was a market for two different
groups," he told Metro.

"One, people who wanted to come into the industry and didn't know
anything about it and, secondly, for people who are already in the
industry but had serious gaps in their knowledge."

Anyone who feels their pot-growing abilities are a little green can
now hone their skills through the 14-week online course, called
Introduction to Professional Management of Marijuana for Medical
Purposes in Canada.

According to the course description, the program is divided into two
parts, called Plant Production and Facility Management; and Marketing,
Sales and Drug Development.

Students will not only grow their knowledge of the differences in
plant characteristics and how to distinguish healthy roots from
unhealthy ones, but they will also learn about crop cycles, pest
management, drying and storage procedures and Health Canada
regulations. The course description says they will also learn about
marketing regulations, brand strategies, customer loyalty and the role
of health-care professionals in the use of medical marijuana.

If the high cost of tuition - $ 1,249 for each part - wasn't enough of
a hint, Pelton said this course isn't for just anyone looking to grow
their own personal stash of marijuana in their backyard.

"This is not a gardening course," he said.

Two instructors are slated to teach the course, including Deepak
Anand, executive director of the Canadian National Medical Marijuana
Association, and Tegan Adams, a business development manager at
Experchem Laboratories Inc.

Since registration opened two weeks ago, Pelton said interest has lit
up, with a couple dozen students already signed on.
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MAP posted-by: Matt