From the inbox, this question:
Dear CJ:I would respectfully request an article on the upsides and perils of working in the cannabis industry.[redacted]I live in a THC legal state but am concerned about long term repercussions of having that on my resume.
Question: I have a BS in Chemistry and Plant Biology. I've recently been offered a position in Colorado extracting the psychoactive oils from legally grown marijuana plants (making hash oil, more or less). Could this have a significant negative affect on my career? Any professionals out there who might offer some guidance?[My answer]: No one knows, because this is the first time in the history of chemistry that we have the possibility of that kind of transition.I suspect that Colorado, California and Washington employers will be the most understanding, and that large corporate entities will be the largest repository of chemists-uncomfortable-with-cannabis.
It's almost nine years later, and I haven't heard stories about cannabis chemists being "locked out" of the regular chemical or pharmaceutical industry. That being said, this is something that we don't have data (anecdotal or otherwise) about.
I think the the main peril about working in the cannabis industry is that it is an industry full of small employers, which means that you will have a wider variety of quality of employer.
I'm not sure what the benefits might be, but it seems to me to be a growing field, with more opportunity to explore and be the first... Readers, do you have thoughts?
In my opinion, it really shouldn't matter as long as it's meaningful experience. Even if you worked at Purdue Pharma for example, you were likely involved with the manufacture of fentanyl, and that may actually make you a better candidate because of experience with controlled substances on the federal level.
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