ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Maryland Department of Labor’s
EARN (Employment Advancement Right Now) program awarded CannaWorkforce Inc. a $194,000 grant to develop a comprehensive education program that prepares unemployed and underemployed individuals for careers in the state’s growing cannabis industry. The groundbreaking grant is the first
in Maryland dedicated to cannabis workforce training.
Founded in 2023 by biotech workforce development innovator Dr. Kathleen Kennedy, PhD, CannaWorkforce has partnered with Jacquie Cohen Roth, MS, Founder/CEO of
CannabizMD LLC and nonprofit The Tea Pad Foundation LTD to create a targeted curriculum
designed to equip Maryland’s cannabis workforce with critical skills.
Kennedy and Cohen Roth met while graduate students in the inaugural cohort of The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy’s inaugural cohort Master of Science in Medical Cannabis Science
and Therapeutics. Their collaboration brings cannabis science and policy expertise to the education initiative.
“This grant marks a turning point for workforce development in Maryland’s cannabis industry,” said Kennedy. “By creating training programs that
directly connect people to job opportunities, we’re not just opening doors to employment, we’re building careers. This funding will allow us to deliver practical education that equips Maryland’s workforce with the skills they need to thrive.”
“Our collaboration with licensed cannabis businesses and service providers is essential for establishing curricula that reflect industry needs,” said Roth. “With the support of state leaders and the Maryland Department of Labor, this initiative will help drive innovation, ensure equity, and establish Maryland as a model for responsible cannabis workforce development.”
A recent CannaWorkforce graduate has been placed with Standard Wellness Maryland, the first operating social equity license and female Black and Latina vertically integrated (cultivation, processor,
and dispensary) cannabis company in the U.S., owned by Christina Bettencourt Johnson.
