Rutgers Law School launches program for NJ cannabis business owners

Rutgers Law School recently established a certification program for New Jersey cannabis business owners to provide legal guidance for properly maintaining their businesses in an emerging market. 

The non-J.D. program titled “Certificate in Cannabis Law and Business,” is a six-month hybrid course for cannabis license holders and interested entrepreneurs. University faculty specializing in cannabis rules and regulations will teach the coursework.

The now sold-out program will run from January to July 2023 and cost $2,695. The program will offer scholarships to business owners who are minorities, women or veterans with disabilities as well as individuals from underserved areas or people who have been convicted of marijuana-related offenses.

Vanessa Williams, the assistant dean of New Programs at Rutgers Law School, began working with industry professionals and educators on the program’s proposal last April.

The aptitude of Rutgers Law School in cannabis law and regulatory practices brought the program to fruition, especially in New Jersey, she said.

“With the legalization of cannabis in New Jersey, originally for medical use, and then more recently for recreational use, this is a really exciting industry,” Williams said. “New Jersey’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission (is trying) to support folks entering the industry who have historically been discriminated against for using and selling cannabis.”

Chirali Patel, an instructor in the certificate program, said that misleading information from unqualified sources is rampant in the commercial cannabis industry. The University has sought out professors, guest speakers and professionals in the field to helm the course.

Patel, as a Rutgers alum, said the program is a great success in her eyes and is glad to come back to the University as an instructor.

Brendon Robinson, the president and co-founder of the program’s partner, Minority Cannabis Academy, provided other educational opportunities and professional development for communities that were disproportionately impacted by marijuana legislation.

“Providing disenfranchised communities with upper-echelon education, tools and resources is something that we’ve built our foundation on, and partnering with Rutgers Law School will enable us to continue to build on that foundation,” Robinson said in an interview.

Rutgers’ opinion surrounding cannabis remains adverse, and cannabis use is still prohibited across campuses, Williams said. Even with the differences between recreational use on federal and state levels, she appreciates her dean’s backing for the program.

The program enrolls a maximum of 25 students, with some completing specific training modules for the program. Out of the six modules, the first and second modules teach licensing and regulation practices in the industry, while the third and fourth modules discuss advertising and complying with local administrations, according to the website video.

The final two modules specialize in differentiating between cannabis sellers and farmers, with a culmination project for the last module.

Patel said she was glad to see students working collaboratively and not holding back information for their personal gain.

“The biggest thing for me was to see the collaboration and willingness to help one another. There was no competitiveness, which you typically do see in law school settings,” Patel said. “But I guess because this is something that they’re investing their time and energy into, it just felt like they really wanted to hold each other’s hands throughout the process.”

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