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Nevada Opens First Medical Marijuana School

By Cheri Cheng | Update Date: Apr 15, 2013 10:04 AM EDT

Marijuana, which has been illegal within the United States, has recently been legalized as a form of medical treatment in several states. Although it is legal in certain areas, medicinal marijuana can only be legally bought with a doctor's prescription. Now that doctors have the power to suggest this drug option for their patients, they should ideally be educated on all aspects of marijuana, which is why the first school to ever be devoted for marijuana education opened in Nevada.

In the city of Henderson, marijuana education has entered a new level. The Budtender School, which was created by the Cannabis Career Institute, will become the first establishment focused on teaching people about marijuana usage. The school will have a workshop that teaches nearly 40 students during the weekend about the medical marijuana business, which entails growing the plant and effectively using the drug as an ingredient in baked goods like cookies, brownies and cakes. The daytime workshop costs $249 and it includes listening to an expert and receiving a textbook on dispensaries.

"It's coming. Nevada has always been cutting-edge socially and politically. It was ahead of other states on gambling and prostitution, and [marijuana] is a lot less problematic. Nevada appears to be on the cusp of approving it," the Cannabis Career Institute founder, Robert Calkin, expressed. The Institute had previously held marijuana workshops in other states and has provided over 1,500 certificates to people throughout the nation.  

Nevada is currently in the process of considering a bill that will allow patients to legally obtain medical marijuana and will require the creation and regulation of pot dispensaries. The Senate Judiciary Committee recently approved the bill. A bill attempting to legalize marijuana use for recreational purposes did not make it pass the Assembly committee. Despite the possibility of legalizing medicinal marijuana, Calkin is weary of the current federal law, which technically does not permit the growth and sales of marijuana.

"It's quite a challenge to open a dispensary that meets all the legal criteria. But it'll be pretty lucrative for whoever has the skills. And it's definitely going to be a boon to the economy here."

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