Answered: How Old Do You Have to Be to Become a Budtender?
Becoming a budtender is an easy way to get started in the growing cannabis industry. But working with a federally illegal substance comes with strict requirements.
You may be wondering, what are the age requirements to be a budtender?
Today’s topic answers those questions and explains the age requirements for budtender jobs.
Age requirements for dispensary budtenders
The minimum age for budtenders will vary by the state. Typically, you must be at least 18 years of age to be a budtender in medical marijuana markets and 21 or older for recreational cannabis. These requirements are in line with those dispensaries’ youngest customers, which are 18 for med and 21 for recreational sales.
Essentially, if you’re younger than the youngest customer at a dispensary, you probably can’t work there.
Age requirements for budtenders by state
Different states have different age requirements for budtenders. Many medical cannabis markets are 18+ while adult-use states are 21+.
Let’s break down the budtender age requirements based on state law:
California (21+)
You must be 21 or older to be a budtender in California.
Colorado (21+)
You must be 21 or older to be a budtender in Colorado.
Connecticut (18+)
You must be 18 or older to be a budtender in Connecticut.
Delaware (21+)
You must be 21 or older to be a budtender in Delaware.
Florida (18+)
You must be 18 or older to be a budtender in Florida.
Hawaii (21+)
You must be 21 or older to be a budtender in Hawaii.
Illinois (21+)
You must be 21 or older to be a budtender in Illinois.
Maine (21+)
You must be 21 or older to be a budtender in Maine.
Maryland (21+)
You must be 21 or older to be a budtender in Maryland.
Massachusetts (21+)
You must be 21 or older to be a budtender in Massachusetts.
Michigan (21+)
You must be 21 or older to be a budtender in Michigan.
Minnesota (21+)
You must be 21 or older to be a budtender in Minnesota.
Mississippi (21+)
You must be 21 or older to be a budtender in Mississippi.
Missouri (18+)
You must be 18 or older to be a budtender in Missouri.
Montana (21+)
You must be 21 or older to be a budtender in Montana.
New Jersey (21+)
You must be 21 or older to be a budtender in New Jersey.
New York (21+)
You must be 21 or older to be a budtender in New York.
Ohio (21+)
You must be 21 or older to be a budtender in Ohio.
Oklahoma (21+)
You must be 18 or older to be a budtender in Oklahoma.
Oregon (21+)
You must be 21 or older to be a budtender in Oregon.
Washington (21+)
You must be 21 or older to be a budtender in Washington.
What are other common requirements for budtenders?
While every state and dispensary have different requirements, some common ones for budtenders are:
- Background checks (a criminal background check is very common)
- A high school diploma or GED
- A valid driver’s license
- A birth certificate
- A social security card
- Payment of any applicable fees
What else should budtenders know?
Outside of legal requirements, some nice-to-have budtender qualities and skills include:
- A strong knowledge of cannabis, like consumption methods, product knowledge, cannabinoids, terpenes, etc.
- Solid communication skills
- Exceptional customer service skills
- Job history related to retail or cannabis
- Completion of a budtender training course or online cannabis school
Why are there age requirements for budtenders?
Not everyone can work at a dispensary. The legal requirements for budtender age makes sense because it ensures those who offer customer service at a cannabis dispensary are not younger than the customers.
The cannabis industry is highly-regulated and dispensing cannabis products isn’t for everyone. Every state has different rules around cannabis jobs and budtender requirements. These cannabis laws ensure this federally illegal industry will be able to keep growing and thriving.
Online budtender certification training, made easy
THC University’s Budtender Certification Course provides cannabis training that will teach you to become an effective budtender. The course is done entirely online and can be completed at your own pace.
Upon completion of the training course, your chance to land a dispensary job will skyrocket.