Health care, public service, and other professionals looking to become more well versed in the science behind marijuana need look no further than Lehman’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS), starting in January.

That’s when the College will begin offering a new three-course online certificate program, the “Science of Cannabis,” that aims to provide a thorough, evidence-based grounding in the study of marijuana, its therapeutic uses, and its potential risks and harms.

“Ultimately, I want Lehman to be positioned as a center for examining cannabis use from a scientific perspective,” said Jane MacKillop, dean of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies. “We are studying it the way one might study alcohol and alcohol use.”

The courses—“Fundamentals of Cannabis Science,” “Risks and Harms of Cannabis,” and “Therapeutic Applications of Cannabis”—offered through a partnership with McMaster University in Ontario, are geared toward people working in health, education, and public service industries. Those professionals may soon be engaging more frequently with cannabis users, now that New York State has legalized the recreational use of marijuana for adults 21 and over. However, anyone with a high school diploma or equivalency may enroll.

The program was developed by McMaster’s Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research and the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research. Students who complete the series will earn their certificate from McMaster University, though Lehman grads and undergrads can also earn up to nine credits (three per course) that will be counted as credits for prior learning.

SCPS is offering a virtual information session about the certificate program on Jan. 8. To learn more or to register for the classes, visit lehman.edu/academics/continuing-education/science-of-cannabis.php.