You Want To Work in Montana’s Marijuana Industry? What To Know
So, you're thinking it's time for a career change and Montana's Cannabis industry looks pretty enticing. It's like being a bartender only with marijuana, how hard can it be, right?
Becoming a Montana Budtender is a lot more Entailed than you Think
From the Cannabis Control Division of the Montana Department of Revenue, this is what you need to do:
Individuals applying to work in the marijuana industry must complete the required education programs and submit a certificate verifying this education.
Currently there are two required education programs for an individual to complete in order to receive a worker permit:
- Identifying, Preventing, and Reporting Human Trafficking
- Rules & Regulations: Legal Sales of Marijuana in Montana
These certificates must be renewed each year prior to renewing a worker permit.
Provide your current certificates to your employer and maintain a copy for your personal records.
From my very uneducated point of view, it looks a lot like an alcohol TIPS class. The difference appears to be that you can work as a bartender for a limited time before taking TIPS, where as in the marijuana field, this is required BEFORE getting a job.
Permit Information MDOR/CCD:
- Worker permits are issued for one year and must be renewed annually to remain active.
- Workers do not need to be Montana residents
- Worker permits must be always visible on the worker while performing work for a marijuana business
- Worker permits are issued to individuals rather than their employer and may be used concurrently at multiple marijuana businesses if an individual works for multiple businesses.
- Worker permits cannot be sold, given, or transferred to another individual.
- You may apply for a worker permit starting at the age of 18.
The permits will run you $50 a year to renew.
What's the Average Wage of a Montana Budtender?
It's hard to nail down exactly, but it looks like it ranges from 31,000 a year to $41,000 a year. So, about $16-$21 an hour. In Montana, that's not bad money.