PLSCI 4190 - Cannabis: Biology, Society and Industry

(BIOLS-AG)

Fall. 3 credits. Letter grades only (no audit).

Prerequisite: at least one college-level biology course or a plant production course, such as PLSCI 1101 or PLSCS 1900, is required. AP Bio credit does not fulfill the prerequisite.

C. Buckler.

The medical marijuana industry in the US is estimated at $6.7B, and is expected to grow to over $10B by 2021. Hemp-based product sales are projected to rise from $570M in 2015 to over $1B for 2019. According to Indeed.com (2018), 25 out of every 10,000 jobs currently listed are related to the cannabis industry, and from April to May 2018, there was a 50% jump in the number of cannabis related job listings. The potential profitability of cannabis is clear, but the obstacles to its economic and industrial development are significant and include establishing better agricultural supply chains, breeding research to develop more vigorous and disease resistant varieties, refining/improving farming practices, and identifying new markets. This course will explore the history, culture, pharmacology, breeding, horticulture and legal challenges associated with cannabis in an effort to inform and stimulate new ideas towards solving these problems, motivating future plant breeders, horticulturists, farmers, pharmacologists, and entrepreneurs to be successful in the cannabis industry.

Outcome 1: Describe the historical importance of cannabis in the development of medicines, textiles, paper, construction materials, foods, as well as cultural, religious and recreational uses.

Outcome 2: Identify, assess and utlize a wide variety of reliable sources of information on cannabis.

Outcome 3: Articulate through writing and presentation assignments basic horticultural and farming best practices for cannabis cultivation.

Outcome 4: Work in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment to develop an understanding of the opportunities and challenges in the cannabis industry today and in the future.