It’s not just healthcare professionals who need education on the health effects of cannabis – it’s patients, customers, and community members across the country. Cannabis education is the key to legitimizing the industry, removing the stigmas associated with marijuana, and breaking down the barriers that prevent patients from accessing it.
Providing high quality cannabis education to patients, customers, and communities should be a priority for every dispensary. To that end, not only should dispensary owners train budtenders to be great salespeople, they should also train them to be great educators.
Every interaction with a patient is an opportunity to educate them. Whether an employee is educating a patient about edibles or the specific terpenes in cannabis, they should be encouraged to share their knowledge and provide resources so people can continue to learn after they leave the dispensary.
In addition, cannabis businesses should proactively look for community education opportunities. By attending community events, holding free educational workshops, and having active voices in the communities where they work, cannabis businesses can affect significant change in the perceptions people have about medical marijuana and cannabis in general.
To help you get started with your cannabis educational efforts, following are some resources you can use to educate your staff, your patients, and your community.
Medical Marijuana Educational Resources
Most people need educational resources that they can understand, and fortunately, there are several websites and mobile apps that provide easy-to-understand information.
Here are some resources to investigate:
- Leafly: Leafly is a website and mobile app filled with information about medical marijuana, particularly in the site’s Cannabis 101
- Releaf: Releaf is a mobile app designed for patients to track their experiences using medical marijuana in order to better connect patients with data-backed treatment options.
- Americans for Safe Access Foundation: The ASA website offers a large amount of educational content, including resources for patients.
General Health Educational Resources
It can be challenging to understand how cannabis can be used as part of a patient’s treatment plan to benefit them if they don’t fully understand their conditions and overall health.
Following are some respected websites that provide reliable information about health and wellness:
- Mayo Clinic: The Mayo Clinic website offers a comprehensive section on patient and healthcare information.
- MedlinePlus: MedlinePlus is a website from the U.S. National Library of Medicine that includes educational content about health topics, drugs, supplements, medical tests, and more.
- Healthline: Healthline offers a wide variety of short articles covering health and wellness topics.
- Help.org: Help.org provides evidence-based information for people struggling with substance abuse and addiction.
Cannabis Professional, Career, and Business Education Resources
Professional, career, and business education and training is a key component of every cannabis company’s success. In this rapidly growing and continually evolving industry, the businesses with the best employees who are offering the highest quality customer experiences will win.
Leafy Green Agency offers a variety of certification training seminars for cannabis industry entrepreneurs and professionals, including:
- Full-Day Masterclass Workshop
- Budtender and Brand Ambassador Training
- Business Seminar
- Career Seminar
- Cannabis Infused Edible Products Seminar
- Dispensary Seminar
- Cultivation Seminar
And for healthcare professionals, Leafy Green Agency offers a comprehensive medical certification seminar.
Key Takeaways about Cannabis Education for Industry Professionals
After decades of prohibition, there are many people who will be slow to fully understand the health benefits that cannabis provides. In fact, the short- and long-term success of the cannabis industry is dependent on everyone doing their parts to educate patients and consumers about both the plant and its medical uses.
Through outreach, cannabis businesses, professionals, and healthcare providers can make a difference. As more people understand cannabis, more communities will welcome legal dispensaries, and more patients will have access to the medical marijuana they need.
It all starts with cannabis education.
What are you doing to educate people in your dispensary and/or your community about cannabis? Share your efforts in the comments below or tell us on Facebook. Follow the link to like our Facebook Page and share your story!