The Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce will host its monthly General Membership Luncheon Thursday, June 21, at La Quinta Inn and Suites of Salisbury beginning at noon.

The featured speaker will be Professor Shad Ewart of Anne Arundel Community College, discussing the cannabis industry in Maryland.

During his presentation, Ewart plans to elaborate on job creation in the Maryland cannabis supply chain, economic development and job opportunities in the ancillary business of the industry, as well as what the future hold may hold including challenges and adult and recreational use.

Ewart has been a professor and administrator at Anne Arundel Community College since 2001.

Prior to that he was a professor of business at Mount Vernon College in Washington, D.C.

At Anne Arundel Community College, he has served as Department Chair and Director of Business Programs.

Three years ago, he launched a course on the emerging business of medical marijuana at Anne Arundel Community College.

The course was offered in response to student demand. Now Ewart sees another demand, this time from the industry — a demand for skilled entry-level workers to help grow, process and sell cannabis.

“They absolutely want qualified workers to work for them,” Ewart said.

To meet that demand, Ewart is proposing a credit-bearing certificate program at the college to train students for their first jobs in the medical cannabis industry.

In Maryland, the people selling medical cannabis need to be aware of addiction issues, Ewart said. The college already offers classes on that subject. He is assuming that chemistry will be important for the people processing cannabis to make concentrates. That’s another course offering that the school already has.

Tickets for the luncheon are $25 for Chamber members and $35 for future members. They can be purchased online at salisburyarea.com or by contacting Director of Events Lauren Barnas at 410-749-0144.