Thursday, April 18, 2024

Despite Recession Talks, Cannabis Jobs Remain Abundant In Nevada

With worry over a potential national financial dip, the cannabis industry continues its climb toward employing Americans.

America still has a bit of post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from the great recession that took place around 10 years ago. And that is perfectly understandable. Anyone who was employed at the time knows all too well the toll this financial fiasco had on the economic foundation most of us often take for granted. Somewhere around 8.8 million people lost their jobs during the recession. Unfortunately, some of these workers never truly recovered from it either.

These days, all one has to do is turn on the news to hear the dreaded R-word being tossed around as if the country is on its way back to ruins. Many are concerned that the Trump Administration’s trade war with China is on the verge of putting the people back on the path to hard times. Sure, stocks are a bit shaky right now, but unemployment is as low as it has been in the United States in five decades. Nevertheless, the country is a bit nervous the job market is weakening.

RELATED: Is Nevada Smoking The Competition Or Is Sin  City Not Living Up To The Tax Revenue Hype?

But the one industry the nation didn’t have much of at the time of the last recession was the cannabis trade. Marijuana legalization has become more widespread over the past five years—starting with recreational weed in Colorado and Washington—which has spawned hundreds of thousands of new jobs, as well as put money in the pockets of those people who work in traditional industries.

Every business sector from realtors to contractors rake in the cash every time a new state legalizes the leaf. This makes all the sense in the world, as well. Before a cannabis company can sell its first gram of weed to the consumer, it must have buildings renovated, facilities built, special equipment installed. Plus, it relies on the same resources that any other business might to get this done. So it goes without saying that legal weed has been a great benefit to the American economy.

We’ve said in previous columns on the subject of marijuana jobs that if someone is starving in a state that has legalized cannabis, they probably just aren’t trying very hard to secure gainful employment. Even a person with little to no experience can still find an entry-level position in the cannabis trade where they can earn in upwards of $15 per hour. It’s not great money by any stretch, but it is enough to keep some folks from being driven into the streets destitute and beyond repair.

And apparently, Nevada is the best place to go for the most opportunity in this burgeoning field.

While the cannabis industry creates somewhere around 211,000 new jobs across the U.S., a recent report finds that Nevada alone spawned 16,000 of them. It is a scene where money can be made in areas that go beyond just growing and selling marijuana, according to industry insiders. This is an environment where driven people with an interest in weed can flourish.

“If somebody doesn’t want to work in the dispensary or directly in the cannabis industry, there are so many different jobs out there,” cannabis consultant Jason Sturtsman told FOX-affiliate KVVU-TV.

RELATED: Coming Soon: Everything You Need To Know About Las Vegas Cannabis Lounges

Even if a job seeker doesn’t want to earn his keep through the legal weed system, Nevada is still a reliable place to get a fresh start. Especially for those who perhaps enjoy marijuana a little too much to get a decent paying position in other areas. Nevada recently passed a law that bans most employers from conducting pre-employment drug screens for marijuana. So, it is stoner-friendly right out of the gate. Unfortunately, the law doesn’t prevent marijuana users from getting fired if they test positive for pot on the job, but it can provide some folks with an “in” that wasn’t always there before.

While it is unlikely that the country is headed for another recession anytime soon, a nervous America can take solace in the fact that legal weed is now here to help if times get tough. We have seen over the years how legalization has helped struggling communities rise above the ashes, and it has helped put food back on the table for thousands of families that had lost all hope.

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