Gov. Wes Moore has launched a first-of-its-kind workforce development program to help those convicted of marijuana-related offenses get jobs in the industry, his office announced Thursday.
The Democrat's creation of the Cannabis Workforce Development Program will roll out after he pardoned more than 175,000 individuals convicted of crimes such as misdemeanor marijuana possession and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia last week.
"This groundbreaking collaboration will support Marylanders interested in joining the state’s growing cannabis industry and prioritize individuals and communities directly impacted by the War on Drugs,” Moore said in a statement. “For decades, cannabis policy has been used as a cudgel. Together, we prove how cannabis policy can be used as a valuable tool to leave no one behind.”
Through the program, participants will have access to eight virtual courses taught by experts in the cannabis industry, licensed operators and college professors, according to a Thursday news release.
Upon completing 100 hours of training, they can enroll in two-day, in-person courses that provide 16 hours of hands-on occupational training.
The program will "help reduce barriers to employment and create paths to sustainable jobs in the cannabis industry" and roll out in the Baltimore area in November, the release states.
Applicants will begin to be accepted on a rolling basis starting Monday, and those interested can apply on the state's website.
The program is expected to begin for other areas of the state on the following dates:
- December 2024: Anne Arundel County
- January 2025: Southern Maryland
- February 2025: Prince George’s County
- March 2025: Eastern Maryland
- April 2025: Western Maryland
The program will be offered for free as a part of a partnership between the Maryland Cannabis Administration and the state Department of Labor’s Employment Advancement Right Now program.
In November 2022, Maryland voters approved a referendum to legalize marijuana for adult use. The law took effect in July of last year, making it one of 24 states to have legalized marijuana.
Marijuana is, however, still illegal at the federal level as a Schedule I substance.
President Joe Biden's administration is in the process of reclassifying it as Schedule III, which would acknowledge it as a less dangerous drug — but many have argued simple reclassification doesn't go far enough.
Logan Hullinger is a Baltimore-based independent journalist. He can be reached by email at logan.hullinger@mobtownmag.com or on Twitter @loganhullinger.
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