(PRESS RELEASE) ANAHEIM, Calif—Cannabis Trainers, the company behind the first responsible cannabis vendor training program approved by state regulators anywhere in the world, today announced its expansion into the promising California cannabis market ahead of full legalization in 2018. Cannabis Trainers’ first California class, a ServSafe® food safety training tailored to the needs of the state’s cannabis-infused product retailers and manufacturers, will be held on September 20, at East Anaheim Community Center in Anaheim, California. Helmed by nationally recognized training certification expert Maureen McNamara, Cannabis Trainers’ engaging, comprehensive workshops are positioned to become a vital part of the movement to bolster professional integrity and regulatory compliance within California’s cannabis industry, which experts have predicted will earn $7 billion a year.
Cannabis Trainers’ California expansion is part of a growing movement to train and certify the tens of thousands of cannabis employees who will be the backbone of California’s extensive marijuana industry ahead of the launch of the state’s recreational marijuana market on January 1, 2018. Such efforts highlight the financial potential, but also the potential risks, for California’s newly regulated marijuana businesses. “In few other industries could a front-line employee crumble an entire business with a single mistake,” says McNamara. “We aim to honor California’s cannabis pioneers by fusing their decades of hard work with cutting-edge approaches to safety and compliance.”
McNamara, a professional training expert who over 25 years has trained and certified more than 15,000 employees, managers, and owners in the hospitality and other industries, launched Cannabis Trainers in Colorado in 2014 after she noticed edibles manufacturers, desperate for guidance, joining her food safety classes. Covered by the likes of NPR, The Washington Post, Reuters and Newsweek, the company now runs two separate compliance training programs fine-tuned to the regulatory requirements and operational realities for the cannabis industry.
- ServSafe® is a customized version of the National Restaurant Association’s food safety certification program based on the FDA food code that McNamara designed for the needs of retailers and manufacturers of cannabis-infused products.
- Sell- SMaRT™ is Cannabis Trainers’ proprietary education program for budtenders, managers, owners and consultants covering all aspects of cannabis sales, from checking IDs to consumer safety.
In 2015, Sell- SMaRT™ became the first state-certified cannabis vendor training in the world when the program received the Colo. Department of Revenue Marijuana Enforcement Division’s first approval for its innovative Responsible Vendor Program. All of Cannabis Trainers’ courses are filled with McNamara’s signature blend of humor, enthusiasm, and interactive programming, making them feel less like staid corporate trainings and more like engaging sessions of improv.
Cannabis Trainers’ ambitious California expansion, will begin with its 3.5-hour September 20, 2017 ServSafe® course for cannabis producers at East Anaheim Community Center. Covering the latest developments in food safety research and the FDA Food Code compliance, but tailored to the unique professional demands of the evolving regulated California cannabis market, the course will teach attendees how to help ensure customer health, enhance product integrity, improve employee performance, and protect their businesses. Cannabis professionals interested in registering for the class should visit CannabisTrainers.com.
