State-legal cannabis has done so well in recent years that it has given rise to an entire industry with documented career paths. An entrepreneur can open any number of different businesses including growing, processing, and retail operations. Those less inclined to own their own companies can work as traditional employees. That brings us to the careers of the budtender and medical cannabis pharmacy technician.
Although often mistaken as being the same career path, the two are anything but. Budtending is a career aligned with recreational marijuana. Yet the career of the medical cannabis pharmacy technician is rooted in healthcare. They are two different environments targeting to separate customer groups.
What a Budtender Does
The budtender fills a frontline sales and educational role at a retail cannabis dispensary. Budtenders verify customer IDs prior to making sales. They educate customers about things like cannabis strains, THC and CBD ratios, terpenes, and different consumption methods. They might even suggest different brands or products based on a customer’s preferences.
Think of the budtender as the recreational cannabis equivalent of alcohol’s bartender. His primary job is to serve up whatever products the customer wants. But he is also there to answer questions and offer qualified advice on brands and their various offerings.
What a Medical Cannabis Pharmacy Tech Does
While the job of the budtender is pretty consistent across the states with recreational marijuana, the same can’t be said for the medical cannabis pharmacy technician. Each of the states with legal medical cannabis regulates its programs differently. They all set different qualifications and standards for this particular role.
Notwithstanding that, there are some generalities that seem pretty consistent:
- Pharmacist Supervision – Pharmacy technicians are supervised by a licensed pharmacist. They may assist the pharmacist in certain tasks directly related to dispensing cannabis medications.
- Packaging and Labeling – Technicians are often tasked with packaging and labeling medications before they are dispensed to the customer.
- Inventory Management – Another common technician task is managing inventory. Pharmacy technicians will keep track of what comes in and goes out, comparing records to maintain accuracy and compliance.
- Limited Advice – While most of the medical advice dispensed at a cannabis pharmacy is offered by the pharmacist, pharmacy technicians can offer limited advice relating to how to use medicines properly.
Most states require that medical cannabis pharmacy technicians be licensed and certified. Such as the case in Utah, were Beehive Farmacy operates two locations in Salt Lake City and Brigham City. They say all of their technicians must be licensed by the state after demonstrating they meet minimum qualifications.
It should be noted that pharmacy techs are neither doctors nor licensed pharmacists. Therefore, the advice they can offer is limited. They may or may not work alongside retail personnel, whose tasks are mostly related to completing sales at the counter.
Different Requirements for Different Environments
Certification and state licensing might seem like overkill for a medical cannabis pharmacy technician. But remember that the recreational and medical environments are separate and distinct environments. It makes a difference when it comes to patient health and safety.
The whole point of using medical cannabis is to achieve symptom relief in a safe and effective way. Patients expect that their pharmacists and pharmacy techs know what they are doing in terms of dispensing medications, offering advice, and recommending products. By the same token, the state has a vested interest in making sure that those licensed to work in medical cannabis pharmacies are actually qualified to do so. The implementation of a certification requirement is the optimal method for achieving that goal.