Two companies in the cannabis space, Green Flower and Curaleaf, announced in an August 8 press release that they are partnering with the University of Nevada, Reno to offer a full scholarship to the university’s online cannabis education program.

2News in Reno reports that the scholarship will be available to local students for one of the four available online cannabis education certificate programs that are provided at the university.

“We are thrilled that Curaleaf and University of Nevada, Reno are working together with us to offer online cannabis education programs to support the training and development of potential future employees in such an impactful way,” said Max Simon, Green Flower CEO. “The knowledge and skills students gain through these programs positively impacts their careers in the months and years ahead.”

Green Flower produces online training and content designed to help people get a foot in the door and succeed in the cannabis industry. Green Flower also partners with colleges and universities to help job seekers and professionals succeed in the increasingly competitive cannabis marketplace.

It’s a full scholarship, and the recipients will also have an opportunity to connect with someone at the company who funded their scholarship to talk about their long-term career goals and learn more about opportunities in their field.

Hurry, because applications for scholarships are only available through Aug. 11. Scholarship awardees will be chosen during the week of Aug. 14.

There are a few ways to benefit from the program: All applicants who do not receive a full scholarship will still be eligible for a $500 partial scholarship toward the cost of their chosen program. All scholarships must be claimed by Aug. 21, 2023.

In the United States, Curaleaf currently operates in 19 states with 152 dispensaries. It’s also the largest vertically integrated cannabis company in Europe. 

Students who are interested can learn more about the scholarship and application process here.

Cannabis Reform in Nevada

In Nevada, home to University of Nevada, Reno, sweeping changes are coming to the industry.

The Las Vegas Sun reports that Senate Bill 277 allows adult-use cannabis customers to purchase up to 2 and a half ounces of cannabis flower or one-quarter ounce of THC concentrate, which is an improvement from one ounce and one-eighth ounces, respectively. 

Under the new law, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2024, retailers that offer both adult-use and medical cannabis products will be required to hold only one license rather than specific licenses for either.

Sen. Dallas Harris (D-Las Vegas) introduced the bill. “It’s going to cut down on some of that administrative burden for a lot of our operators, which are generally dual licensees to begin with,” Harris said. “It made sense when we originally set up our structure so that we had separate licenses because we had medical first, then we had adult use. But now given the industry is up on its feet, I think it just makes sense to streamline that process.”

The new law also contains a provision that creates an appeals process for ex-convicts who want to apply to the Nevada Cannabis Control Board (CCB) for an agent card, which allows individuals to work with cannabis in the state.

The law also lowers some of the annual and overhead fees levied by the CCB—as much as 90%, in some cases. The fee drops are substantial: The fee to issue a cannabis establishment license for a cultivation facility has been reduced from $30,000 to $3,000, and the renewal of such a license decreased to $1,000 from $10,000.

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Officials in Nevada flagged a cannabis product being sold at a dispensary in the Reno, Nevada area, after lab testing data revealed fungus contamination. Consumers are advised to stay on the safe side and dispose of any flagged cannabis products that could be potentially harmful.

The Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board (CCB) issued a Public Health and Safety Bulletin on Friday advising people who buy cannabis to avoid or take caution when consuming a particular product that tested positive for traces of fungus. Nevada requires that all cannabis is tested for contaminants including both fungus and unapproved fungicides. Smoking certain species of fungi can lead to deadly infections in the lungs and the brain.

The contaminated cannabis was sold during the month of May, and some consumers could be affected. There are no known reports, however, of any illness at the time of writing.

“The following cannabis package tested positive for Aspergillus fumigatus and was sold between May 9 and May 21, 2023,” the board wrote, identifying a half ounce bag of flower from Phantom Farms, the strain Dancing Monkey.

The batch of cannabis initially passed testing, however, lab technicians re-analyzed the sample and determined it was contaminated with fungus.

“There is no reason to believe the laboratory was aware the cannabis was actually positive for the presence of Aspergillus fumigatus at the time they reported the negative results,” the report continues. “There is also no reason to believe the cannabis sales facility had any knowledge of the presence of A. fumigatus in the affected cannabis package.”

The bulletin then identified a dispensary near Reno that was selling the product. The affected cannabis was sold at Silver State Relief Fernley in Fernley, Nevada, which is outside of Reno, between May 9, 2023 and May 21, 2023.

The dispensary will be forced to inform their customers about the contaminated cannabis via bulletin.

“The listed sales facility is requested to display this bulletin in a conspicuous location on their premises for 30 days to ensure their customers are aware of this information,” the bulletin continues. “There are no known reports of illness at this time. Health impacts from Aspergillus fumigatus may exist. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides general information on Aspergillosis, which is an infection that can be caused by certain Aspergillus species, including Aspergillus fumigatus.”

Not All Fungus is Bad

Many forms of fungus are bad news for plants: Root and stem rot, bud rot, and powdery mildew are three of the most common fungal diseases affecting cannabis. Growers are most likely to detect forms of gray mold.

More specifically, common fungal infections that can harm cannabis plants include the species Botrytis cinerea, powdery mildew, Aspergillus, Rhizoctonia Solani, Fusarium, and Sclerotinia Sclerotiorum.

That said, not all fungus that forms on cannabis plants are necessarily harmful. While Aspergillus fumigatus is bad and can cause health problems, a beneficial fungus—mycorrhizae—is a different story.

In 2016, High Times reported that mycorrhiza grows inside and around the roots of the plant and feeds on the sugars it provides. In turn, the mycorrhiza decomposes organic matter, solubilizes phosphates, and “delivers the nutrients it scavenges directly to the root.” This fungus behaves like an extension of the plant’s own root system. Without mycorrhiza, plants struggle to survive unless provided with all the right nutrients in soluble form, i.e. hydroponics. Plants grown in soil with mycorrhizae are far more tolerant to extreme temperatures, drought and plant diseases.

To keep informed about cannabis recalls in Nevada, check out the Nevada CCB website.

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