We are gonna break down the current hot topics in the industry, get short, targeted presentations from expert guests, and, of course, provide our students and alumni with a space to get questions answered, brainstorm ideas, share, or otherwise avoid paying costly consultants. Business Lab is open to all Oaksterdam students and alumni and can be accessed through your student portal (for current students) or by emailing support@oaksterdamuniversity.com (for alumni).
Here’s what’s in the lineup:
September 11: Marketing Effects-Based Products with Angela Bacca
In this month’s Business Lab, we are going to be discussing the marketing of effects-based products with Oaksterdam’s Director of Academics, Angela Bacca.
Cannabis consumers seek products that deliver specific effects, and manufacturers use packaging imagery and language to communicate those effects. Not only can this be misleading to consumers, but it can also be illegal depending on the language used and claims made. September’s Business Lab will look at compliant ways to market an effect-based product.
Learning Outcomes:
- Identify federal and state laws surrounding herbs and supplements
- Apply strategies from the herbal and supplement industries to avoid making medical claims
- Be familiar with the available resources that help navigate marketing effects-based products
October 9: The Hemp Ban: Possibilities, Impacts, and Preparation with Meital Manzuri
In October’s Business Lab, we are going to break down the looming federal “hemp ban” with Meital Manzuri, Managing Partner of Manzuri Law in Los Angeles, where she has spent nearly two decades trailblazing cannabis and hemp legal issues.
The 2018 Farm Bill effectively legalized hemp, defined solely by THC content at harvest, creating a loophole that has allowed hemp companies to also produce psychotropic products with various cannabinoids, including THC. Last year, Congress passed a bill to close this loophole to prevent these products from going to market, scheduled to go into effect this November. Meital will break down what this means for cannabis and hemp operators and how to prepare.
Learning Outcomes
- Recognize how the hemp ban will impact you
- Strategize to prepare you and your business
- Understand what measures Congress is currently considering to amend or stop the ban
November 13: Midterm 2026 Debrief with Hirsh Jain
Elections usually signal big changes in the cannabis industry, and the 2026 midterms may reshape Congress and set the stage for even bigger changes in 2028. In November’s Business Lab, we are going to break down election results with Hirsh Jain, founder and CEO of Ananda Strategy, a cannabis-focused business advisory and consultancy firm that guides brands, retailers, and investors on competitive licensing, legislative strategy, and regulatory intelligence.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the impact of the recent elections
- Identify opportunities with a new Congress
- Discuss strategies to get a bill to deschedule cannabis to the president’s desk
Labs are available to all current students in the Student Portal. Alumni gain access by emailing support@oaksterdamuniversity.com. Not yet a student or alum? We recommend starting with our All Access Pass so you can gain access to this Lab, 80+ video and interactive courses, resources, video libraries, and exclusive mini courses.