On March 26, the Association of Cannabinoid Specialists (www.cannaspecialists.com) hosted an event in conjunction with the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy.  The event was career focused and used an Ask Us Anything template with questions submitted by students prior to the event.

The format allowed students to voice their concerns, ask questions, and receive feedback about job opportunities in a relatively new and rapidly growing field of medical cannabis.

“I’m nervous there isn’t a place for me in the medical cannabis space.”  This first question of the evening set the tone for the rest of the event.  With an overwhelming and immediate response from our panel, all doubts were pushed aside as the panelists encouraged everyone at the event that there was room for everyone in the industry, especially for skilled industry outsiders to come in and bring their talents to the field.

Other hot topic questions included:

“Did you find that adding cannabinoid medicine to your practice led to any professional consequences?”

“What advocacy initiatives or organizations do you support to advance patient access and research in the cannabis industry?” (ACS, of course!)

“What are the different career opportunities available to graduating students in the cannabis industry, beyond working in a dispensary?”

“What roles can non-doctors play in the medical cannabis space, and how can they support doctors?”

The panel consisted of four members of ACS, who are highly skilled in their disciplines, to provide insights to students into what can come next after graduation.  We were joined by Jordan Tishler MD, James Winokur, Adam Abodeely MD, and Carrie Armour.

Jordan Tishler MD is a Cannabinoid Specialist and Founder and President of ACS. Dr. Tishler graduated from both Harvard College and Harvard Medical School, trained in Internal Medicine at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and is faculty at both the Mass General Brigham and Harvard Medical School. Having treated countless patients harmed by alcohol and drugs in his time as an emergency physician, his observation that he had never seen a cannabis overdose led Dr. Tishler to delve deeply into the science of cannabinoids’ safety and treatment.

James Winokur is the founder of High Power Consulting. He focuses on start-ups and small businesses, especially companies in the cannabis industry. James was most recently CEO of Berkshire Roots, a Massachusetts-based cannabis cultivation, production, and dispensary operator with locations in Pittsfield and Boston. James earned an undergraduate B.A. degree in Political Science in 1986 from Boston College and in 2002 earned his MBA from the Boston College Carroll Graduate School of Management with a concentration in marketing and operations. James is a Board Member of ACS as well as VP of Finance.

Adam Abodeely MD MBA FACS FASCRS is a double Board-Certified Surgeon specializing in gastrointestinal diseases and cancer and founder & CEO of Adirondack Gastrointestinal & Colorectal Surgery LLC. He is also the CEO & Cofounder of Coral Cove Wellness Resort, a cannabis-centric health and wellness resort in Jamaica. In 2024, Dr. Abodeely was appointed to the NY State Medical Cannabis Advisory Council (MCAC). Dr. Abodeely has been treating patients utilizing cannabis-based therapies since 2010. Dr. Abodeely is a Board Member of ACS.

Carrie Armour has over fifteen years of experience representing physicians, patients and the cannabis industry as a government affairs attorney and advocacy consultant. As a consultant, Carrie focuses on improving pain management and influencing policies to create highly regulated, compliance focused cannabis programs as well as expanding opportunities for cannabis research. Prior to opening her consulting firm, Armour Advocacy, Carrie worked for over a decade for the American Medical Association in its state government affairs division. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University and a Juris Doctorate from Loyola University School of Law. Carrie is on the ACS Advisory Board.

The recurring theme throughout the night’s questions were not so much about where students could find a job, but how they could help and where they can carve out a space to make a difference in the field of medical cannabis.  Students are looking for a way to make an impact and make big change in the medical cannabis space, and we at ACS cannot wait to see the world they create.

For information on free student memberships or discounted memberships for recent graduates, email [email protected]

To watch the recording of the Ask Us Anything event, click here.