Colorado Cannabis Cooking Class fights stigma and promotes education

At MSU Denver, Professor Shannon Donnelly teaches the Cannabis 101 class. The course was only offered in spring 2021, but according to the course description of the university it started again on November 8th, 2022.

In addition to learning about the medical and recreational cannabis industry, key topics of discussion include the inner workings of a dispensary, various products sold, and the legal aspects of cultivation, distribution, and ownership.

In addition, students are also taught about cannabis and CBD in a kitchen setting. According to Donnelly, who also holds the position of cannabis process navigator for the City and County of Denver, he explained that the students will be experimenting with cooking with CBD. “We’re starting with a state-approved CBD isolate that has no THC at all,” Donnelly said.

While the course is a legitimate exploration of one of the country’s most robust cannabis markets, Donnelly shared that not everyone agrees. “Most of the feedback when I tell people I cook with cannabis is ‘no, that doesn’t actually happen,'” she said. “‘This isn’t a proper college course,’ and it’s like, yes, it is, and your students can do it.”

Students are taught how to infuse vegetable oil with CBD, and after mastering that, begin experimenting with different recipes. Donnelly told 9News they made grilled shrimp and cornbread puree with a local chef last week.

The news outlet also spoke to one of the students, Liad Sherer, who is majoring in cybersecurity, about why he chose the elective. “I’m trying to improve myself both as a chef and as someone who likes cannabis and wants to know how to use it,” Sherer said. “I’d love to do this as a hobby, and I’d love to do it as a part-time job.”

The course is an introduction to the many facets of the industry that can help build early knowledge for potential careers. Roles such as a private chef, edibles maker, or bud maker are just a few of the many jobs cannabis can create, and normalizing these jobs also helps break down the stigma. “This is such a fun thing that I can help students figure out,” she said. “Courses like this allow me and our students to realize that there is a path for them in this industry that we need.”

Ten years ago, in November 2012, Colorado voters approved recreational cannabis. Since then, new data shows the state has raked in more than $2.2 billion in cannabis taxes and $13.4 billion in legal cannabis sales. According to the 2022 Leafly Jobs Report, Colorado offers 38,337 jobs (second only to California, which offers 83,607). The labor market is flourishing and well-trained specialists are in great demand.

Recently, Colorado also saw a decline in its usual month-over-month growth in cannabis sales month-on-month for 2021, according to data released in September 2022 for the month of June 2022. Likewise, recreational cannabis sales only reached $127,157,358 in June, offsetting a decline represents the $152,719,813 raised in June 2021. This downward trend is worrying for some industry members, who believe it could lead to layoffs, small store closures and the end of brands that aren’t able to keep up.

Though Colorado is seeing an overall downtrend in sales, newer cannabis markets are showing signs of rapid growth. Adult cannabis sales in New Mexico went online in April 2022, and as of November 7, the state has surpassed cannabis sales records for the last four months through October with a net profit of $40 million. Adult New Jersey sales also took effect in April of this year, selling $80 million worth of cannabis within the first 10 weeks. In fiscal 2022, the state of Nevada reported nearly $1 billion in revenue.