Academy Of Cannabis Science

What Academy Of Cannabis Science does

Academy of Cannabis Science (ACS) is a privately held online cannabis education provider founded in 2015 by Trey Reckling and based in Washington State. The company delivers a catalog of 15 self-paced online courses through a web-based learning management system (hosted on Coassemble), covering cannabis science, cultivation, extraction, retail operations, medical consulting, strain science, cooking, pet therapy, and emerging topics such as psilocybin. Its flagship offering is the 20-hour Medical Cannabis Consultant Certificate Program, which is the first program in the United States to have coursework approved by a state Department of Health (Washington) and delivered in partnership with an accredited university (Seattle Central College). Additional institutional partnerships include UNLV and Century College.

The business operates on a direct-to-consumer, self-serve enrollment model with no application process required. Course prices range from $99 to $399 per one-time purchase, with bundled options (e.g., the $249 Budtender Certification Bundle). There is no subscription component; revenue is generated entirely through individual course sales. Customer segments include retail cannabis employees, healthcare professionals, career changers, medical cannabis patients, and educational institutions, with stated reach across all 50 US states and Canada.

ACS relies primarily on content marketing (educational blog, founder-authored articles in major publications, and the Saturday Sesh video series) and organic distribution through its website and university partnerships. The company has no external investors, no disclosed headcount, and no publicly reported revenue, and operates as a founder-led, self-sustaining small business.

Name

Academy Of Cannabis Science

Legal name

Academy of Cannabis Science

Website

https://academyofcannabisscience.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Academy of Cannabis Science is a Washington-based, founder-led online education provider founded in 2015 that delivers 15 self-paced cannabis certification and training courses to individuals, healthcare professionals, retail employees, and university partners across North America via a direct-to-consumer model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Online Course Sales: Individual course purchases ranging from $99 to $399. Courses are self-paced, module-based online programs covering cannabis science, retail operations, medical consulting, and related topics. Revenue is generated through one-time course purchases with no subscription component mentioned.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Academy of Cannabis Science delivers self-paced online cannabis education courses covering cannabis science, cultivation, retail operations, medical consulting, strain science, cooking, and patient care. The flagship Medical Cannabis Consultant Certificate Program is approved by the Washington State Department of Health and satisfies state certification requirements for medical marijuana consultants. All courses are web-based, accessible anywhere with internet connectivity, and designed for individuals pursuing or advancing cannabis industry careers.

Product overview

Academy of Cannabis Science offers a portfolio of 15 online cannabis education courses delivered through a web-based learning platform. The flagship product is the Medical Cannabis Consultant Certificate Program, approved by the Washington State Department of Health, which satisfies certification requirements for medical marijuana consultants. Other core offerings include career-focused certifications like the Budtender Certification Bundle and The Cannabis Professional, specialized courses covering strain science, cooking with cannabis, growing at home, and pet cannabis therapy, as well as emerging topics like Psychedelic Medicine 101: Psilocybin. All courses are self-paced, online-only programs accessible anywhere with an internet connection, with the platform operating as a single unified learning management system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Medical Cannabis Consultant Certificate Program

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UNLVcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for cannabis education program development and delivery. UNLV works with Academy of Cannabis Science to provide coursework and credentials.
• Seattle Central College Cannabis InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst program in the country to have coursework approved by Washington State Department of Health and facilitated with this accredited university partner. Joint development of Medical Marijuana Consultant certification program.
• Century CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership for cannabis education program delivery and student credentialing.
• Last Prisoner ProjectminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSocial impact partner featured on Friends of the Academy page. Cannabis reform organization working to release people incarcerated for cannabis offenses.
• Thunder CannabisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCannabis brand partner featured on Friends of the Academy page.
• Dockside CannabisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWashington State's longest-running medically-endorsed cannabis retailer. Partner Kenji Hobbs works as a manager at Dockside Cannabis and serves as faculty for Academy.
• Trail Blazin' ProductionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLicensed cannabis farm and Academy faculty Juddy Rosellison is owner and operating manager. Partner in Friends of the Academy.
• Cannabis Nurses (American Cannabis Nurses Association)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional nursing organization partner featured on Friends of the Academy page.
• VETCBDminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVeterinary cannabis company. Dr. Tim Shu is founder/CEO and serves as Academy faculty. Kate Scott is COO and also faculty member.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• VETCBD: Veterinary cannabis product company whose founder (Dr. Tim Shu) also serves as Academy of Cannabis Science faculty and co-developed the Pets and Cannabis course. Represents an ecosystem partner rather than a direct competitor, but illustrates the channel of practitioner-led specialty education.
• Americans for Safe Access: Patient-focused advocacy organization offering educational resources and training for medical cannabis patients and providers. Comparable to Academy of Cannabis Science's medical cannabis consultant track in mission and audience, though operating as a non-profit.
• National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA): Industry trade association offering conferences, policy work, and member education for cannabis businesses. Not a direct course competitor but a related industry body whose training programs and events sit adjacent to Academy of Cannabis Science's professional development offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Weedmaps: Leading cannabis marketplace and media platform with educational content for consumers and retailers. Represents a broader incumbent that could expand into paid certification, posing a long-tail competitive threat to Academy of Cannabis Science.
• Leafly: Major cannabis information platform with broad consumer-facing educational content (strain database, learning center). Not primarily a paid certification provider but adjacent through free education that competes for the same learner attention.

Direct peers

• Cannabis Training Institute: Canada-based cannabis education provider offering online certification programs for budtenders and cannabis retail staff. Comparable to Academy of Cannabis Science in curriculum, online delivery, and target learner base, with geographic overlap in North America.
• THC University: Online cannabis education platform offering certification programs for budtenders, growers, and dispensary staff at similar price points. Competes head-to-head with Academy of Cannabis Science for the same entry-level cannabis career learner.
• Green Flower Media: Cannabis education platform offering expert-led courses, certificates, and industry training programs across cultivation, retail, medical, and business. Operates at greater scale than Academy of Cannabis Science and is a direct competitor in the same online cannabis certification market.
• Oaksterdam University: The pioneering cannabis-focused university offering online and in-person courses in cannabis horticulture, business, law, and budtending. Directly comparable to Academy of Cannabis Science as both sell cannabis-specific certification courses to career-track learners.
• Clover Leaf University: Online cannabis training and certification provider covering budtending, extraction, cultivation, and compliance. Closely comparable to Academy of Cannabis Science in course catalog, online delivery, and target learner.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/academyofcannascience
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/academy-of-cannabis-science

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Academy Of Cannabis Science