This lesson will explore the history of cannabis, its significant role in shaping the modern world, and the many misguided public policies that have arisen due to efforts to prohibit it.

This course overviews state and federal cannabis laws, public policies, rules, and regulations. The course covers federal laws prohibiting cannabis and the risks of breaking those laws, including mandatory minimum prison sentences, asset forfeiture, and collateral consequences. Students will gain an understanding of evolving federal enforcement priorities and tactics, federal laws and policies that affect cannabis banking and taxes, and federal hemp and CBD laws and oversight. Students also will understand how states prohibit or allow medical and adult use of cannabis and the essential components of state licensing of commercial cannabis, including license types, eligibility, application requirements, and operating regulations.

We will introduce the core concepts of cannabis extraction and look back at some traditional methods used to extract beneficial compounds from the cannabis plant. Then, we will introduce the modern methods of extraction in use today at a commercial scale and the techniques of post-processing required after the initial extraction to produce the desired finished product. Finally, we will identify the different types of products you can make with cannabis extracts and learn that the ideal extraction method will always depend on your final product goals.

In this module, we will explore concepts of manufacturing that one can apply in a cannabis extraction operation to increase safety and profitability. We will highlight the importance of standard operating procedures and the traceability of inputs and products, which is the key to pinpointing the source of the problem when things go wrong. We will also discuss supply chain management principles and learn how to calculate our manufacturing throughput and the cost of production. Finally, we will examine several strategies for determining what products to produce and when to meet customer demand most efficiently.

In this module, we will explore the operation of a cannabis extraction lab and walk through the preparation required for an extraction run. We will identify the lab team’s critical roles and responsibilities and look at some commonly used tools and equipment. We will also highlight the importance of preventative equipment maintenance, which can save you thousands of dollars in repairs and help you avoid costly downtime. Then, we will present strategies for sourcing two critical inputs in cannabis extracts — biomass and solvents. We will also examine the pros and cons of mixing biomass from different sources.

In this module, we will examine the operation of light hydrocarbon extraction systems and the wide range of products one can produce with this method through variations of the extraction and post-processing techniques. We will also highlight the importance of safety when working with highly volatile hydrocarbon gas liquids and discuss the critical elements of safe facility design

In this module, we will examine the safe operation of ethanol extraction systems and the wide range of products one can produce. We will also explore the many different post-processing techniques applied to crude ethanol oil to widen the scope of finished products one can make from it.

In this module, we will explore how a CO2 extraction system produces a fractionated output and the different products you can make. We will discuss the safe operation of a CO2 extraction system and the differences between supercritical and subcritical CO2 extraction. We will also cover the required and optional post-processing techniques you can perform on CO2 extracts.

In this module, we will introduce the two solventless extractions commonly used today in the commercial cannabis industry — ice water extraction and rosin pressing — and explore the products you can create with each. We will demonstrate the methods’ basic techniques, which rely on micron bags or screens to separate the trichomes from the plant material mechanically. We will also explore the 6-star hash rating system used by extractors and consumers as a benchmark to discuss the quality of hash products.

We will review the role of advocates in normalizing cannabis consumption and achieving meaningful pro-cannabis policy reform. We will look at some organizations that continue to drive advocacy efforts at the national and state levels. Then we will discuss some issues that remain a concern to advocates, even amid the rapidly growing public acceptance of cannabis and the industry’s exponential growth.