The University of Wisconsin-Platteville first began offering cannabis certificate programs in 2020 and recently the courses have seen increased enrollment, according to WKOW. The programs are run in partnership with Green Flower, a cannabis industry training provider. Green Flower’s mission is to educate people to succeed in the different areas of the cannabis industry, according to CEO Max Simon.
Simon said he anticipates continued growth in cannabis entrepreneurship and said Green Flower’s programs are a step forward for aspiring leaders in the cannabis industry.
“The overall stigma of cannabis has dramatically subsided and has been replaced by an industry that people support and get value from,” Simon said.
Green Flower currently has 60 partnerships with colleges and universities across the country and is focusing on expanding the availability of cannabis teaching in higher education, Simon said.
UW-Platteville offers four cannabis-related certificates — Cannabis Healthcare & Medicine, Cannabis Agriculture & Horticulture, The Business of Cannabis and Cannabis Compliance & Risk Management.
Green Flower programs are conducted online, with lectures, reading and assessment components. The programs have facilitators available to guide students and answer questions, Simon said.
UW-Madison also had an online continuing education course centered around the use of Cannabinoids as Medicines, but the course isn’t being run in Spring 2025, according to the website.
Simon said that while cannabis is not currently legal in Wisconsin, he has seen state laws and state cannabis programs evolve rapidly — sometimes within a year.
Wisconsin is one of 19 states that imposes jail time for possession of cannabis and is one of 11 states without a comprehensive medical cannabis program, according to the Marijuana Policy Project.
Simon sees Green Flower courses as a way for people to prepare for a career in the cannabis industry of a neighboring state, or in Wisconsin if laws change.
“Education’s goal is to empower people with knowledge and skills and credibility, and just because the industry hasn’t become as accepted in Wisconsin doesn’t mean that it couldn’t change,” Simon said.
After the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp and all of its derivatives are no longer illegal in Wisconsin, according to Cannabis Law Now. Simon said that with the increasing acceptance and consumption of hemp in Wisconsin, he anticipates both the medical and recreational use of cannabis will also be more widely accepted.
Simon said the cannabis industry offers a unique opportunity, particularly for entrepreneurs, with diverse sectors where individuals can carve out their niche.
“If somebody’s interested in being a part of something that’s new and exciting and has lots of opportunity, and they’re willing to work hard to envision what the future holds, then cannabis is a great place to be,” Simon said.
