How to become a ganjier, the sommelier of cannabis:
“A diverse and ever-expanding array of cannabis products and services are entering the marketplace today,” says Gilman. “While consumers eagerly explore more natural ways to enhance their lives, deal with ailments, and seek to elevate and refine their cannabis experience, the demand for those with deeper, more comprehensive knowledge of the plant, it’s nuances, innate qualities—and possibilities—is becoming paramount.
The web-based training is followed by a two-day in-person curriculum held in California’s Humboldt County, the heart of the famous Emerald Triangle marijuana cultivation region. Students are taught the program’s Customer Interaction Protocol to help guide conversations with consumers to provide the highest level of service. The in-person coursework also incorporates extensive hands-on training in assessing the quality of cannabis flower and concentrates.
The program includes a Ganjier education tool kit including terpene palate training, a jeweler’s loupe for close inspection of cannabis flowers and access to the program’s Systematic Assessment Protocol, a smartphone app that serves as a tool to accurately assess cannabis flower and concentrates. Certification is achieved with the culmination of the in-person training and successful completion of a final examination.
Gilman says that last year’s inaugural Certified Ganjier class filled within weeks of registration opening, with graduates finishing the curriculum and receiving their certifications last fall. and nearly half-full for the 2022 class, with seats filled on a first-come, first-served basis. The Certified Ganjier curriculum cost $2,997. Advanced Ganjier and Executive Ganjier programs will be introduced at a later date.