Local colleges, including Dutchess Community College, are promoting new classes on the business of cannabis as the state grapples with a worker shortage in the industry.
The courses aim to educate individuals about working at dispensaries or owning one, ensuring a strong applicant pool for the future.
"This class has opened up my mind to the growth and the potential that it has. I've been in retail sales most of my life. I just want to take those skills over to the cannabis industry," says Timothy Mazyck, DCC Student.
Just 23 dispensaries are currently operating in New York state. There are another 400+ that are licensed but blocked from opening because of a lawsuit.Experts say, the state could sustain up to 2,000 dispensaries.