24-04-2025
University of Lynchburg adds more Cannabis Studies courses
LYNCHBURG, Va. (WFXR)—The cannabis industry is growing, and the University of Lynchburg's Professional Development Institute is adding programming to accommodate it.
The school first partnered with Green Flower to offer Cannabis Studies a year ago. Now the two are offering nine-week certificate courses online. Max Simon is CEO of Green Flower.
'They're designed to give people the knowledge and skills to enter the three most important job areas in the cannabis industry. Cultivation, manufacturing, and cannabis retail,' said Simon.
Even as the industry grows though, federal reform hasn't been reached and some states like the commonwealth are still putting the breaks on their retail market. In March, Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed creating a retail marijuana market again, claiming the substance quote 'endangers Virginians' health and safety'.
Simon believes it's only a delay.
'Cannabis legalization is an inevitability,' he said. 'It's not a question of if, it's really a question of when.'
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John Zinn is executive director of the Professional Development Institute at the University of Lynchburg.
'With the current state in the commonwealth with cannabis, you know there's a possibility down the road it might open up more and we plan to be ready to meet the market when that happens,' he said about adding more programs.
The new programs are designed to be more accessible for people interested in careers in cannabis. They're shorter, cheaper, and online.
'You don't necessarily have to be in the commonwealth, you can be in markets that are embracing the cannabis industry a little bit more,' he said.
Zinn says enrollment in their cannabis programming has been fairly consistent over the last year, bringing in a couple students every other month to join cohorts of students from all around the country training to join the new industry.
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