On a Thursday in October, I arrive just in time for the morning lecture at Oaksterdam University in Oakland, California. A group of 23 students, mostly guys, with their pens and notebooks out, wait eagerly for their professor Jeff Jones to begin his lecture. Jones has been in the marijuana industry for over 20 years. As he starts to talk about “carbohydrates” and “magnesium sulfite” I feel myself getting completely lost.
This is the Harvard of marijuana studies. From the growing, to the harvesting, to the dispensaries, marijuana has become a multi-billion dollar industry in California. It’s being called the state’s green rush. And these Oaksterdam students are serious -- far more engaged than I remember my classmates in college being. They don’t stop taking notes throughout the two-hour lecture. Then they delve into two more hours of lab work where they learn how to manicure the buds for medical marijuana dispensaries. They work in pairs, using customized scissors, inspecting for mold or discoloration, and cutting away leaves and stems. They do this for the same reason that you or I choose one apple over another at the grocery store -- because it looks better.
-- Listen to the audio player for the full story or check it out at:
http://kalw.org/post/trimmigrants-humboldt-county
