Image courtesy of Roanoke College
In this long and windy road towards the legalization of adult-use cannabis, the nascent industry employs 440,000 US citizens across the country. In 2024, the legal cannabis industry generated $31.4 billion in sales, an increase of 9% from 2023.
One legendary cannabis cultivator from the illustrious Emerald Triangle region of Northern California named Ray Fowler has moved to Virginia on the East Coast. His alias is Doc Ray, and he brings 40 years of cannabis expertise to Roanoke College. As a Scholar in Residence, he will join the faculty of 6 other faculty members in the Cannabis Studies Majors Department.
Doc Ray first became aware of the benefits of cannabis when he used it to treat his childhood epilepsy. Later, it helped with his PTSD after his service with the US Army, and he began growing to provide relief to others. He now holds five genetic patents and owns Doc Ray Genetics company. If you have ever tried the Blue Skunk strain, that is Doc Ray’s genetic product. Consumers of the strain describe it as uplifting, joyful, and enhancing creativity.
According to Leafly, at least 120 colleges have some cannabis curriculum to help meet the demand for standardization in this multi-billion dollar industry. Roanoke is the first college in the state of Virginia to offer a cannabis studies program.
