California Looks To Hire Medical Marijuana Czar
OAKLAND (KPIX 5) – It's a job posting you don't see every day: California wants to hire a medical marijuana czar. While it could be a very lucrative opportunity, it does come with some catches.
The job posting is already up at Oaksterdam University in Oakland. It has become the preeminent spot to learn all things pot in the United States. Oaksterdam advises the states of Washington and Colorado, which have led the way in marijuana legislation.
"It's important that we have someone who can work across the aisle," said Dale Sky Jones, the chancellor of Oaksterdam. "Not just partisan, from Democrats to Republicans, but between the regulators and the industry."
Someone who can handle dealers, consumers, lawyers, the media, and other bureaucrats.
When asked if he had any potential candidates in mind, Jones said, "I wouldn't want to throw anyone under the bus, because whoever takes the job is probably going to have a target on their head."
"Potential people? It's a terrible job. It's not paying nearly enough," KPIX 5 political analyst Melissa Caen said.
Caen said the $120,000 a year salary might not entice qualified people for a job that could be a real headache.
"You'd rather has someone that is good on policy. Because the industry can in some degree be taught," Caen said. "But having the right connections in Sacramento, understanding the state bureaucracy, that is something that is going to be key."