BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - SUNY Erie plans to develop a curriculum around the proposed cannabis campus should marijuana become legal in New York State this year.
The campus, which will be located at a 47-acre parcel at the Buffalo Lakeside Commerce Park in South Buffalo, was first introduced earlier this month when the City of Buffalo announced the sale of the land to a California-based developer.
Dan Hocoy, the President of SUNY Erie, which was formerly known as Erie Community College, said the curriculum would cover all areas of the marijuana industry, such as cultivation, extraction, business management, and entrepreneurial functions.
Despite marijuana's illegal use in New York, Hocoy said they went forward with the program because of optimism that New York State will legalize marijuana this year and because marijuana could be a part of the new economy.
"There's hundreds of billions in tax revenue that we're leaving on the table," he said. "There's people suffering from chronic pain including veterans and people with cancer who can benefit from marijuana use."
SUNY Erie plans to partner with Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center to spur economic development in New York State.
"There's jobs to be had," he said. "This factory that we will provide talent in will provide 1,00 jobs in Western New York. It's a building block for the new economy and we need to be a part of it."
If marijuana legislation does not pass, which is unlikely, SUNY Erie can still develop a curriculum over a period of years. Hocoy said that they can follow the models throughout the country, including Seattle Central Community College's cannabis laboratory tech program and a cannabis consultant program.
SUNY Morrisville recently introduced a similar curriculum, which will result in a "Cannabis Industry" minor for those who pursue it. SUNY Erie's program could be something similar to a few courses to a full academic program, but nothing is official yet.
Hocoy hopes public education on marijuana can change the stigma some may have on weed.
"I think it's only a matter of time," he said. "I think the taboos around cannabis are fading away. Not only in our country but in (Canada) and throughout the world."
SUNY Erie is also in discussions with Jamestown Community College about applying for a National Science Foundation grant, which grants dollars for research and program development.