St. Paul, Minn. – The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) announced that it is accepting submissions of training curricula for consideration to be used in the state’s new medical cannabis consultant training program. Changes in state statute in 2024 permit certified medical cannabis consultants, in addition to pharmacists, to provide medical cannabis consultations to registered patients on a wide variety of important topics.  

“Medical cannabis is a proven therapy for symptom management in conditions ranging from epilepsy to cancer, offering benefits like pain relief and anti-inflammation,” said OCM Director of Medical Cannabis Ilizah Woodward. “Certified medical cannabis consultants will offer personalized, evidence-based guidance, ensuring patient safety and assist in navigating complex treatment choices, including optimal dosage and product selection.”  

The program’s focus is on ensuring patient safety and efficacy, maintaining high standards for consultation protocols and developing a robust and compliant training program. Certified medical cannabis consultants are specialists trained to provide patients with expert, accurate information about medical cannabis. Their role is to fill a critical gap in the medical system, as traditional professional programs often do not cover this topic in depth.  

Under statute, licensed cannabis businesses authorized to sell medical cannabis to registered medical cannabis patients must employ either a pharmacist or a certified medical cannabis consultant who is available for patient consultations. In developing this program, OCM will review and approve training curricula that will help the certified medical cannabis consultants meet the unique needs of each patient.  

By integrating certified medical cannabis consultants into the medical cannabis market, patient access to reliable advice is expanded. The approach expands the network of qualified professionals beyond the limited number of pharmacists, ensuring more patients receive specialized guidance tailored to their specific needs. Ultimately, the use of certified medical cannabis consultants is intended to enhance patients’ access to knowledgeable consultation services. 

OCM will accept submissions of training program curriculum for the certified medical cannabis consultant program until noon (12 p.m. CST) on Monday, December 1, 2025.   

Learn more about the certified medical cannabis consultant training program at OCM’s website.