Having taught Cannabis and Your Health courses at Clark College for five years, starting in 2017 and continuing until 2022, with some years including offering the classes biannually, in April 2024, we presented a proposal to Lower Columbia College in Cowlitz County, Washington, for a 4-week, 8-hour summer series.
The proposal was approved by the manager of the Community Ed department at Lower Columbia College on May 9th.
We received the following email and with the registration link.
Email from LCC Community Ed manager:
The class is up and open for registration. I've attached a flyer I made that I will be distributing. You can find the online class information and registration at the link below:
LCC Course Catalog: The Current Science of Medical Cannabis NEW!
Review the current research on the body's endocannabinoid system and how people are using cannabis in managing symptoms for chronic pain, MS, Parkinsonism, traumatic brain injury, neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, pediatric epilepsy, cancers, stomach problems, as well as for health and wellness.
Then on May 20th we received the following email as students were attempting to register.
Hi David,
Unfortunately, on Friday we heard from the State Board of Technical and Community Colleges that we cannot offer the cannabis course. It has been cancelled at this time.
The Current Science of Medical Cannabis NEW!
No classes currently available. Click here to continue searching for courses.
This is puzzling in light of the Department of Justice memo published May 13, 2024:
DEA-1362; A.G. Order No. 5931-2024
The Department of Justice (“DOJ”) proposes to transfer marijuana from schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) to schedule III of the CSA, consistent with the view of the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) that marijuana has a currently accepted medical use as well as HHS’s views about marijuana’s abuse potential and level of physical or psychological dependence.
Furthermore, there are currently more than 30 credit-bearing courses available at community colleges, universities, and master's level programs nationwide.
During April 2024, we participated in Stockton University’s 4th Annual National Cannabis Curriculum Convening, where doctors, nurses, attorneys, and instructors shared their curriculum during an online national gathering of cannabis educators that lasted for two days, each day consisting of 4 hours.
Attending for the second consecutive year, we plan to propose presenting our community education medical patient consumer-oriented curriculum in the spring of 2025.
Below is an example of ten presentations, with more than 30 schools being represented at the National Cannabis Curriculum Convening.
Medical Cannabis Curriculum
Moderator: Matt Elmes, Stony Brook University
Panelists: Dr. Dave Gordon, CC Denver, Thomas Olah, Stockton University
Paul Seaborn, U of Virginia, Ellen Trabka, Northern New Mexico College
Cannabis Business Curriculum
Moderator: Michael Zaytsev, LIM College Tauhid Chappell, Thomas Jefferson U
Bonnie Rabin, U of Cincinnati
John Lipford, Grand Valley State U
Cannabis Curriculum in Community Colleges
Dr. Ara Karakashian, Hudson County CC
Panelists: Kelly Goldberg, Chicago City Colleges and DePaul University
Thomas Crouse, Three Rivers CC
Cannabis Science Curriculum
Moderator: Jason Wilson, Natural Learning Enterprises Moderator:
Panelists: Steven C. Philpott Jr., Researcher, Anzisha, LLC, Benjamin Southwell, Lake Superior State U, Linda Klumpers, U of Vermont, Gregory Foy, York College of PA
Cannabis Curriculum in the University
Moderator: Rob Mejia, Stockton University
Panelists: Matt DeBacco, U of Connecticut, DB Poli, Roanoke College
Dr. Steven Johnson, Lake Superior State U
We are contesting the WA State Board of Community and Technical Colleges' decision to ban all cannabis-related courses.
We view this as an opportunity to educate the board on the importance of community colleges offering health care consumers evidence-based information to help them make informed decisions regarding the utilization of medical cannabis.
After teaching this curriculum for five years, we have noticed that community colleges' adult education programs provide a perfect environment for delivering non-credit adult courses on health promotion, disease prevention, fitness, and health education.
Health care consumers require evidence-based information in order to make informed decisions regarding the incorporation of plant-based medical cannabis into their holistic integrated health care interventions.
In 2022, the research summary from The National Academy of Sciences highlighted the effectiveness of cannabinoids in treating chronic pain in adults and addressing a range of other chronic medical conditions. These conditions include alleviating tremors in Parkinson's disease, easing fibromyalgia pain, managing endometriosis, interstitial cystitis, PTSD, anxiety, and other conditions that are characterized by chronic pain.
Providing community education classes about the advantages of medical cannabis gives people evidence-based information to help them make informed decisions regarding plant-based medicine and the healing uses of cannabis.
References:
Cannabis & Hemp Research Initiative at Stockton (CHRIS)
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
Mayo Clinic Dosing Recommendations:
Gary Wenk PhD – Neuro protective benefits of Cannabis in later life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzunPLkYCWY
Alzheimer’s on THC helps mothers anxiety Part one & two (25 min)
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