By Paige Orr, FOX23.com News Staff
TULSA, Okla. — A deadly explosion at a THC extraction facility in Sand Springs is putting a renewed focus on safety, compliance, and proper training within Oklahoma’s cannabis industry.
In response to growing safety concerns, Tulsa Community College is continuing its effort to train local workers by offering online workforce certificate programs designed to help individuals enter the field safely.
The college has partnered with California-based cannabis education company Green Flower to provide online courses covering critical industry tracks. The curriculum ranges from cultivation and product development to retail sales, medical applications and mandatory state compliance.
Industry regulations and workplace safety are major components of the curriculum—topics that have drawn intense public scrutiny following a fatal chemical blast at a Sand Springs business complex. The owner of the extraction facility, Ryan Bassham, is facing two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the explosion. Officials with the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority stated the blast involved what they described as “unsafe, illegal business operations.”
According to Green Flower CEO Max Simon, Oklahoma’s commercial market already includes more than 4,000 licensed cannabis businesses. He emphasizes that formal higher-education credentials give workers a necessary foundation in safety protocols while helping them navigate a complex regulatory environment.
“The cannabis industry is extremely competitive. It’s super complex, and quite frankly, it’s difficult to make sure that you find the right way to succeed in this space,” Simon said. “That’s why education is really so important, is it gives you a proven framework and a road map to be successful.”
Simon noted that offering these credentials through an established local institution provides employers with confidence when hiring new staff.
“I think that’s the value of having them offered by TCC, because when it’s through a local institution that is trusted inside of the community, it brings a certain level of legitimacy that this is somebody that’s well-trained, that’s taken this seriously, and that really understands the sector,” Simon said.
In addition to coursework, students who complete the program gain access to an employer network that connects graduates directly with companies looking for certified job candidates.
Registration for the upcoming session closes on Tuesday.
Because courses run on an eight-week cycle, anyone who misses Tuesday’s deadline will have to wait until November for the next enrollment period. Interested applicants can learn more or sign up for classes directly through the Tulsa Community College Cannabis Education portal.
