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If you're interested in becoming a marijuana employee in our nation's capital, check out our guide on how to get a cannabis job in Washington DC. In the District of Columbia, cannabis is legal for medical and recreational use. However, only the sale of medical cannabis is legal. Here's how you can get a job in DC's medical cannabis industry.

Washington DC Cannabis Jobs

Washington, DC legalized medicinal marijuana use in 1998 after passing Initiative 59. It wasn't until 2013 when the medical program was launched in 2015.

Voters passed Initiative 71, legalizing possession of personal amounts of cannabis for adults and home cultivation. However, adult-use sales remain illegal.

In DC, vertical integration is optional for cultivation establishments, meaning they can process and manufacture raw cannabis into cannabis-infused products such as edibles.

If you want to work in DC’s cannabis industry, here are the most common cannabis job opportunities in the medical retail and cultivation sector.

 Retail

  • Budtender: Answer questions about products and services. Help patients find the right strain or product to relieve their symptoms.
  • Receptionist: Welcome and check-in new and returning patients. Answer phone calls and emails, as well as perform other clerical duties.
  • Security guard: Monitor for suspicious activity inside the establishment and on the premises. Protect the staff, customers, and inventory.
  • Dispensary manager: Manage the day-to-day operations of a retail establishment. Hire, train, and manage a team of retail staff to meet sales goals and remain compliant
  • Inventory specialist: Manage orders and keep track of shop inventory. Perform audits on inventory.

 Cultivation

  • Trimmer: Harvest cannabis flower buds for sale in a speedy manner. May be required to roll joints for sale.
  • Cultivation assistant: Assist the head grower in a variety of cultivation tasks throughout the plant’s life cycle. Tasks may include watering, pest control, defoliation, cloning, and more.
  • Master grower: Manage a commercial cultivation facility. Delegate assistants to handle cultivation tasks. Manage the financials of the operation.
  • Quality control specialist: Optimize processing and manufacturing of cannabis products. Monitor the quality of packaged goods.

Minimum Age Requirement to Work in the Cannabis Industry

If you want to work in DC’s cannabis industry, you must be at least 21 years of age. Medical cannabis patients must be at least 18 years of age (or minors with parental and legal guardian consent), but anyone under 21 years of age can't work in a medical cannabis establishment.

Legal Requirements

Washington DC requires all medical cannabis employees to complete an employment application. To begin, select whether you are starting a new or renewal application. In addition, you must select a registration type ranging from employee to director positions.

In the registration type section, check the box for employees. All employees must pay a $75 application fee or $150 for a manager application fee payable by cashier's check, certified check, or money order. Payment is payable to the DC Treasurer.

Applications will also require your name, social security number, date of birth, home address, and the type of business you will be working in (cultivation center or dispensary).

Employees must sign the acknowledgement and attestation form that requires the following:

  • Must not been convicted of any felony before filing the application
  • Must not be convicted of a misdemeanor for a drug-related offense before filing the application.
  • Must not owe more than $100 to the District of Columbia government

How to Get a Cannabis Job in Washington DC

Getting a marijuana job in Washington DC is possible if you have the right skills and education. The nation's capital has job opportunities in the cannabis retail and cultivation space. Here's how you can earn one of the coveted marijuana jobs:

  1. Research the industry: Research the latest rules and regulations of your jurisdiction in order to ensure you are eligible to work in the industry.
  2. Enroll in Cannabis Training University: Enroll in the world's most renowned cannabis college to get a high quality education. Learn about cannabis laws, cannabis cultivation, cannabis extraction, cannabis cooking, cannabis medicine, cannabis business, cannabis careers, and so much more! Getting certified from CTU is the best way to get your foot in the door of the industry.
  3. Build your job skills: Earn transferable job skills by working outside the industry. Customer service and retail jobs are great entry points for jobs in a dispensary. Farming and nursery work is a good start toward working at a cannabis cultivation center.
  4. Network: Meet up with industry leaders at local industry events and ask about open positions. In addition, social networking on professional sites like LinkedIn can be a great way to connect with industry employees and business owners.
  5. Create a resume and cover letter: If you have the right skills and education, it's time to create your resume and cover letter. Use our blog resource guides to help you get the formatting just right.
  6. Apply for a job: After all the hard work, now it's time to apply to the job of your choice. Check job boards daily to be one of the first to apply. Don't forget to follow up after a week to stay top-of-mind.

Washington DC Cannabis Career Training

Washington  DC's medical cannabis market is always looking for talented individuals to work in retail and cultivation. If you want to have the best chance of getting hired, enrolling in Cannabis Training University can propel you to a new career.

There are over 300,000 jobs in the cannabis industry. CTU trained me for one of them!

marijuana extraction course - Johanna Rose
Makes $24.50 @ THC +

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Fred Hernandez - Cannabis industry expert writer
Fred Hernandez

Fred Hernandez is a highly accomplished and versatile writer, boasting an extensive background in the cannabis industry. With an in-depth understanding of various sectors including cultivators, processors, retailers, and brands, Fred's expertise spans across the entire cannabis landscape. As a prominent contributor to CTU, he consistently delivers insightful articles exploring the latest developments, news, and regulations shaping the cannabis industry. Whether it's delving into the intricacies of cannabis products, cannabis strain reviews, or providing comprehensive analyses of cannabis laws, or sharing expert insights on cannabis cultivation techniques, Fred's wealth of knowledge positions him as an invaluable writer and educator for all cannabis-related subjects.

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