Lake Superior State to offer degrees in cannabis chemistry

Detroit Free Press staffPublished 12:13 p.m. ET Jan. 25, 2019

A Michigan university said it will begin offering degrees in cannabis chemistry starting this fall — the first in the country.

Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula said the cannabis industry is projected to create more than 500,000 jobs by 2022 as more states legalize marijuana and cannabis-related products for recreational and medical use.

The average starting salary of a cannabis chemist is $72,000, the university said.

The program will offer associate and bachelor’s degrees in cannabis chemistry, which focuses on the quantitative analysis of cannabis-related compounds and contaminants. 

Students, who will use actual cannabis buds for analysis, may need to submit to a background check in order to participate in the program and in courses that handle regulated materials, as required by law.

Students who meet minimum standards may qualify for an American Chemical Society (ACS) degree.