The cannabis industry remains a central topic of discussion because of its popularity, legalization and career creation.
Although cannabis is still illegal at the federal level, (schedule 1 substance under the Controlled Substances Act, on par with heroin and methamphetamine), the Pew Research Center found that an overwhelming 91% of U.S. adults are for legalization. For a quick knowledge refresher, all drugs the government classifies as “Schedule 1” are considered highly addictive, have a lack of accepted safety and have no accepted medical treatment purposes. It seems like only a matter of time before cannabis is federally legal, as recent research has proven that cannabis isn’t dangerous, has a wide variety of medical benefits and generates a ton of revenue.
As more and more states legalize cannabis medically and recreationally, cannabis consumption continues to increase as well. Its popularity is astonishing. According to Gallup, almost half of the adults in the U.S. say they have consumed cannabis, making it the highest percentage ever recorded.
Due to its continued legalization and popularity, the cannabis industry has created almost half a million full-time jobs as of January 2022 (Leafly.com). It’s a great time to get your foot in the door within the cannabis industry. For many, it’s an exciting career change that allows them to work in a disruptive industry which has many, passionate employees. Also, if/when cannabis becomes federally legal, many of the top employers will be searching for candidates that have previous industry experience – especially when it comes to C-suite, director and managerial roles. Gaining cannabis industry experience now will potentially set you up for much success in the future.
With all the data compiled and analyzed, it would be a safe bet to assume the cannabis industry is going to continue to generate many job opportunities in 2023 and beyond. The industry continues to need great sales, marketing, accounting, recruiting, operations, research and development and production leadership. At HBG, we’ve also had much success in staffing some of California’s largest cannabis labs, primarily headhunting quality control/assurance leaders and top chemists.
If you are looking to potentially get your foot in the door within the exciting cannabis field, please reach out to us today! Recruiting and staffing is primarily a timing game and you never know what opportunities will present themselves in the near future.
James Owsiany, Partner at High Bluff Group
