Are you a Registered Dietitian or interested in learning more about the unique role you can play in cannabis education and healthcare? Did you know ourextensive knowledge, connection to food, and ability to simplify complex information make us the ideal candidates for championing cannabis wellness? Learn more about the exciting opportunities for RD’s in this rapidly evolving field and discover how you may also find increased income, better work-life balance, and greater work satisfaction.
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Why dietitians are the best health professionals to work in cannabis
Why making the leap could improve your quality of life
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Why You Will Love This Guide
As the world continues to embrace the place of cannabis in healthcare, there’s a growing need for professionals to educate the general public on its safe and effective use.
For the past four years, I’ve been shouting it from the rooftops: Registered Dietitians (RDs) are uniquely positioned to fill this gap, thanks to our extensive education, training, and connection to food.
After taking the leap into cannabis work full-time, I have had the opportunity to speak to hundreds of other healthcare professionals and sell them on this unique position we find ourselves in.
If you have always been into holistic modalities, the natural side of things, if you have been impacted by or feel called to cannabis in any way – this guide is for you.
Here we will explore why RDs are the best healthcare providers to teach the world about cannabis and why taking the leap into cannabis may just help your career, bottom line, and overall work satisfaction.
Why Dietitians Belong in Cannabis
After speaking at numerous state conferences about why dietitians are the perfect profession to work in cannabis, I am excited to share this with you, too.
There are so many reasons why dietitians belong in the cannabis space.
We possess the ideal combination of skills and expertise to educate people about the cannabis plant, thanks to our extensive education in nutrition and health.
Below we will explore the main reasons why dietitians are uniquely suited to create and fill jobs in the cannabis industry.
Education and Training
From a bachelor’s degree to a dietetic internship requiring 1200 practice hours in clinical settings to an eventual master’s degree, it takes a lot of time, energy, and dedication to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.
And while the journey was difficult, these rigorous education and training programs equipped us with a deep understanding of nutrition, health, and wellness.
This knowledge enables us to provide evidence-based recommendations on various aspects of diet and lifestyle, including the use of cannabis.
As a food and herbal medicine, the cannabis plant absolutely falls within the scope of practice for an RD.
While the use of medical cannabis may be best left with a different practitioner, recreational and personal use is fair game.
With additional education in the form of certificate programs and continuing education, a registered dietitian has the best perspective on how to use cannabis in conjunction with a healthier lifestyle to achieve optimal health.
Furthermore, we are trained to stay updated on the latest research findings, ensuring that we provide accurate and up-to-date information on cannabis to our clients. This is perfect for the fast-paced and ever-changing cannabis world.
A Unique Connection to Food
Cannabis can be consumed in various forms, and one of the most popular methods is consuming cannabis edibles – which can be considered a whole different animal in its own right.
More and more people are experimenting with edibles on their own, trying various food products, and having trouble finding the best consumption methods.
A registered dietitian is a perfect person to understand the digestive process, how cannabinoids are metabolized in the liver, the potency of the edibles, and the experience that will result from these factors.
This expertise not only helps our clients safely incorporate cannabis into their diets but also ensures that they enjoy the experience while reaping the most therapeutic benefits.
Our unique connection to food and food preparation sets RDs apart from other healthcare professionals, which allows us to create healthy and delicious cannabis-infused recipes tailored to individual needs and preferences.
Farm-To-Table Perspective
From our time spent in the culinary lab in college, to our food service rotation in a large facility, to the fun farm-to-table trips for continuing education, we are immersed in the world of food with a unique perspective.
We have a special understanding of how food is grown and produced for mass consumption, which is why it is time we have the same understanding of how a cannabis plant is grown and produced for consumption.
After all, cannabis is just a plant. A plant that can be grown in the ground. A plant that can be harvested for its leaves, juiced, and used in a smoothie like a dark green leafy vegetable.
For us as dietitians, it’s not much different than talking to a client about the importance of adding more dark green leafy vegetables into the diet or a culinary nutritionist showing a client how to prepare cannabis juice at home.
And if you are one of the incredible farm-to-table RDs who show others how food is grown on the farm, you have a unique perspective to add if you’ve also watched a cannabis plant grow on the farm.
Communicate Scientific Information
One of the challenges in educating the public about cannabis is breaking down complex scientific concepts into easily digestible information.
RDs excel at translating complicated research findings into practical advice that people can apply in their everyday lives.
This is most true when it comes to educating people about their endocannabinoid system and the role it plays in pain relief, autoimmune diseases, and more.
RDs know how to talk about decarboxylation, the ECS, enzymes, receptors, different cannabinoids, and proper cannabinoid ratios in a way that the everyday consumer can relate to.
By leveraging our communication skills, RDs can help demystify cannabis and empower individuals to make informed decisions about its use.
We Know Supplements
As a dietitian, you have been trained to educate clients on various aspects of nutrition, including the use of dietary supplements to support overall health and well-being.
Cannabis, with its numerous therapeutic properties, can be considered akin to a supplement, making it a unique and fitting avenue to pursue.
By expanding our knowledge base to include cannabis, we are able to provide comprehensive guidance on incorporating this powerful plant into clients’ wellness routines.
This not only helps individuals reap the potential benefits of cannabis but also positions you as a valuable resource in an emerging field that bridges the gap between traditional nutrition and holistic health practices.
Benefits of Working in Cannabis
Given our education, training, connection to food, and ability to simplify complex information, RDs are the perfect candidates to educate the public about cannabis.
As the demand for reliable and accurate information on cannabis continues to grow, RDs can play a crucial role in promoting this powerful plant’s safe and responsible use.
Embracing the cannabis industry as a healthcare professional may seem daunting at first, but rest assured, working in this rapidly growing field will not harm your career.
In fact, with the increasing acceptance and legalization of cannabis worldwide, it opens up new opportunities for professional growth and specialization.
By staying ahead of the curve and becoming a knowledgeable resource in cannabis education, you’ll not only enhance your expertise but also position yourself as a pioneer in an area that’s expected to play a significant role in healthcare and wellness for years to come.
Here are just a few of the benefits you may experience if you leap over that fear and jump feet-first into the world of cannabis. These are more relevant if you have your own private practice or own your own business.
Creative Control and Freedom
Exploring the world of cannabis as a healthcare professional or Registered Dietitian allows you to tap into your creativity and embrace greater freedom in your career.
This is particularly true if you decide to start your own business, where you can design unique programs, develop innovative products, and offer personalized services tailored to client’s needs and preferences.
As an RD working in cannabis, if you can dream it, you can create it. In my business, I have created free resources, paid online education programs, and even a successful cannabis membership community.
All of these avenues have allowed me to explore how I love to work and have given me the creative control and freedom needed to fall in love with my work again.
Greater Financial Opportunities
As an RD, I understand that dreaded feeling you get when you think about a salary cap. That no matter how high on the ladder you climb, you eventually will reach the proverbial glass ceiling of pay.
By venturing into the cannabis industry, you open the door to potentially lucrative opportunities.
As the market continues to grow and evolve, there’s an increasing demand for experts who can provide reliable and informed guidance about cannabis use and its benefits.
This high demand, coupled with your specialized skills, can lead to increased income and financial stability.
To put things in perspective, I have made and exceeded my yearly part-time RD hospital salary of $24,000 in a single month in my cannabis business.
The opportunity is there, you just have to be brave enough to go after it and understand that it will take a lot of hard work, dedication, and willingness to get knocked down and back up again.
Elevated Work Satisfaction
Working in the cannabis field provides financial rewards and a higher level of work satisfaction.
I never felt satisfied with the work I did as a clinical dietitian. I never felt I could truly help someone in my brief 15-minute visit with them.
It wasn’t until I was deep into my cannabis work that I realized I was starting to make a true difference in the quality of people’s lives.
By helping clients improve their health and well-being through cannabis, you will make a tangible difference in people’s lives.
You will know because they will be so happy with their success that they will tell you and anyone else who will listen. You will feel the deep satisfaction of doing work that feels aligned with your soul.
Additionally, the opportunity to innovate and create within your own business empowers you to forge your own path and enjoy a more fulfilling professional journey.
I am more satisfied now than ever providing nutrition services in the hospital or nutrition counseling in my private practice.
Learn from Me: Don’t Be Scared
As a pioneering Registered Dietitian in the cannabis field, I have created an incredible career that combines my passion for nutrition and wellness with the transformative power of cannabis.
I am proud to be the very first Registered Dietitian to become a licensed cannabis farmer and the first to create a dietitian-approved edible line. I am a cannabis cookbook author, my cannabis blog has reached over 19 million viewers, and I am now venturing into cannabis-speaking events.
I would have never experienced this level of joy, satisfaction, or financial freedom if I had let my fears hold me back.
In the beginning, I was hesitant and fearful about venturing into the world of cannabis. I worried about the potential impact on my professional reputation.
However, I took a leap of faith, I came out of the cannabis closet, and I discovered that embracing this industry has been one of the best decisions of my life.
Not only do I now earn more money, but I also experience immense satisfaction and happiness from helping others improve their well-being through cannabis-infused products and education.
Don’t let fear hold you back from pursuing your true passion.
By following my example and embracing the opportunities within the cannabis industry, you, too, can create a fulfilling and successful career that aligns with your values and expertise.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is it out of the scope of RDs working in cannabis?
When dealing with potential drug interactions, and pain management clinics, our other conditions are outside of the scope of medical nutrition therapy.
What do people use cannabis for?
Some of the most common reasons people turn to cannabis: are pain relief from chronic pain, autoimmune diseases, and traumatic brain injury, to manage chemotherapy-induced nausea, irritable bowel syndrome, and rheumatic diseases. To reap the medical benefits of the plant to support bone health, muscle spasm
What continuing education program did you do?
I completed the certified holistic cannabis practitioner program from the Holistic Cannabis Academy.
Are there side effects to cannabis?
There can be, but they are generally mild and short-lived in most cases. Learn more about the side effects of cannabis here.
Do clients need a medical marijuana card?
It depends on their state, but many states do not require a medical marijuana card to use cannabis. My online shop does not require a medical card.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Registered Dietitians are well-equipped to lead the charge in cannabis education and its integration into healthcare.
As more people turn to cannabis for its therapeutic benefits, RDs have a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of their clients and the broader community.
If you’re a fellow dietitian ready to take the leap and embrace the world of cannabis, I highly recommend starting with my Cannabis Compass Online Course.
This comprehensive course will equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to feel confident in incorporating cannabis into your professional practice.
By gaining expertise in this emerging field, you’ll be well-prepared to navigate the exciting opportunities that lie ahead and help your clients experience the myriad of benefits that cannabis can offer.
Don’t hesitate – invest in your future today and join me on this transformative journey.
Everything you wish someone taught you…
The Cannabis Compass Online Course will show you how to use, apply, and dose cannabis safely and effectively so that you can begin to manage your anxiety, pain, and inflammation the natural way from the comfort of your own home. Learn more below.
VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — In a city where fast food is often the most accessible meal option, one local Vicksburg business is changing the narrative—one smoothie and salmon plate at a time.
Vicksburg Nutrition, known as “NUTRI” to regulars, opened its doors in June 2025 with a mission to make wellness more convenient and accessible. The grab-and-go health food shop, located at 908 Cherry St., offers nutritious options like meal prep plates, cold-pressed juices, smoothies, salads, yogurt parfaits, and more. But its mission runs deeper than food—it’s about breaking generational patterns of poor health.
“As someone raised in Goodman, Mississippi—a town with limited access to healthy food—I saw how food insecurity impacted my family,” said the owner, Tameria Rule, a soon-to-be Registered Dietitian. “Diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney failure—it wasn’t just data, it was my reality.”
That early exposure shaped her passion. By eighth grade, Tameria knew she wanted to study nutrition and kinesiology to help change her community’s future. After facing gestational diabetes during her second pregnancy and losing her mother in 2022, she became even more committed to modeling better habits for her children and her customers.
“I realized I couldn’t let these patterns continue. Nutrition is a tool to break the cycle.”
Vicksburg Nutrition was created with busy families and professionals in mind. Everything is made fresh and designed to support healthy habits without sacrificing flavor or time. Among customer favorites are the teriyaki chicken bowls, hearty salads, and the “Very Banana Berry Smoothie.”
“People often tell us, ‘I didn’t expect it to taste this good and be healthy,’” she said. “That’s the goal—healthy, but satisfying.”
What makes Vicksburg Nutrition stand out is its commitment to education and community support. The business has donated meals to local schools and athletic teams and partnered with gyms, wellness instructors, and schools to promote better health across the city.
“We’re not just here to sell food. We’re here to support a healthier Vicksburg.”
The shop’s atmosphere is just as intentional. Bright, welcoming, and filled with positive energy, it’s a place where customers feel like family. A standout memory for the owner was when a customer shared how the meals helped them manage diabetes and lose weight. “They told me they finally felt supported,” she recalled. “That moment reminded me why I started.”
As the business grows, exciting updates are on the horizon. Plans are underway to introduce a catering menu, custom meal plans for athletes and professionals, mobile delivery, and product placement in local businesses.
Tameria’s favorite go-to meal? “The grilled salmon with roasted potatoes and sautéed spinach. It’s what I call soul food with a twist—clean and flavorful.”
Above all, she wants people to remember one thing: “Nutrition is not a diet—it’s a lifestyle.”
Aug. 11, 2025 – A new Mississippi law will take full effect on Oct. 1, restricting the sale of vape products in the state to only those authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Under House Bill 916, the Mississippi Commissioner of Revenue will publish a statewide directory on October 1 listing all electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products—commonly known as vapes—that are legally approved for sale. This includes nicotine vapes, e-liquids, and related devices that have received FDA marketing authorization, have a pending Premarket Tobacco Product Application (PMTA), or have had a denial order stayed or overturned.
Retailers will then have 60 days to sell or remove any products not listed in the directory. After the grace period, unlisted vape products will be banned from sale in Mississippi and may be seized, forfeited, and destroyed.
The law applies to nicotine-containing vape products as well as other ENDS devices, and is intended to align Mississippi’s retail market with federal FDA standards. Violations can lead to fines, product seizures, and potential loss of a retailer’s tobacco sales license.
Supporters say the measure will help reduce the sale of unregulated vaping products to minors and ensure product safety, while critics argue it could limit consumer choice and hurt small vape shops.
President Donald Trump confirmed earlier this week that he is weighing rescheduling marijuana—that is, moving the drug to a less-restrictive classification under federal law. State-legal marijuana companies have salivated at the possibility and are pouring millions of dollars into efforts to convince Trump to go along with this Biden-era idea. While the president is personally uncomfortable with legal weed, the Wall Street Journalreports, he also believes that making this change on marijuana would put him on the right side of an 80/20 issue.
But the president can move in a popular direction on pot without rescheduling, a change that would be disastrous for public health and orderliness. He need only take a series of steps to expand medical research into pot. This would give him a political victory while preventing the messy consequences of rescheduling.
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Shifting marijuana from its current position on Schedule I to Schedule III of the federal list of controlled substances would designate the drug as having lesser potential for abuse and assert that it has accepted medical uses. In its waning days, the Biden administration initiated efforts to reschedule but failed to complete the change before Trump took office.
The state-legal companies pushing for rescheduling are doing so because they stand to gain the most. A move to Schedule III would let them deduct business expenses on their federal taxes—a benefit that the U.S. tax code prohibits for trafficking in substances listed in Schedules I and II.
Advocates of rescheduling usually downplay this pecuniary motive. Instead, they claim that rescheduling will make it easier to do medical research on pot. That’s a persuasive pitch—labeling marijuana as “medical” makes it seem more benign. While about 70 percent of Americans favor legalizing marijuana, roughly a third choose only medical legalization when given the option.
It’s not obvious that rescheduling would make research easier, though. Schedule I substances are subject to strict research controls, including onerous registration processes and on-site storage rules. Schedule III substances face lower barriers. Yet as the Congressional Research Service explained last year, “medical researchers and drug sponsors of marijuana or CBD containing drugs would not benefit from these looser restrictions associated with rescheduling without congressional action.”
That’s because of the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act (MMCREA), a 2022 law that created separate rules for marijuana to reduce the burdens of doing research on the drug. Rescheduling would not affect this separate track. The result, legalization advocate and lawyer Shane Pennington has argued, is that the effects of rescheduling and de-scheduling are now much harder to achieve than before the law meant to make research easier was passed.
But even if rescheduling won’t make research easier, the political insight of its advocates—that people want to support medical marijuana research—is a good one. That’s why the Trump administration, rather than rescheduling, should push as hard as possible into actually expediting medical marijuana research. Doing so would give Trump the political victory he wants, without making pot more accessible and incurring any of the associated consequences.
Trump could take several unilateral actions to speed medical marijuana research. Start with recommitting his administration to implementing the MMCREA—which members of Congress complained the Biden administration was dragging its feet on.
The MMCREA has a number of provisions, many of which Trump could bolster with executive action. For example, the act requires that the Drug Enforcement Administration reply to registration applications by researchers and manufacturers within 60 days. Because these decisions are made unilaterally by an executive agency, Trump could impose what amounts to a “shall issue” standard, mandating that applications be automatically approved after 60 days absent a denial.
The MMCREA also requires the administration to ensure an “adequate and uninterrupted” supply of marijuana for research purposes. Previously, only the University of Mississippi was authorized to grow pot for medical research. A spate of new approvals and deregulation, including under the last Trump administration, has somewhat increased the number of approved growers. Trump could mandate that the Drug Enforcement Administration move to grow further the number of “bulk suppliers” through new approvals. He could also have the DEA issue more permits for importing marijuana under 21 CFR 1312. Most aggressively, he could use the DEA’s waiver authority to let pharmacies dispense marijuana for research purposes directly.
The Trump administration could build on this effort in other ways. For example, federal research funding could be earmarked to provide compliance infrastructure (like the secure storage needed for Schedule I substances) for researchers deterred by the costs. The administration could direct the National Institute on Drug Abuse to prioritize funding on medical marijuana’s applications, with a mandate to both NIDA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to consider all ways to expedite the research review and approval process.
Lastly, the Biden administration’s decision to reschedule was based on a flawed HHS report, which ejected the traditional “five-factor” test for commonly accepted medical use and relied on low-quality evidence to arrive at the desired result. Trump could seek a new analysis from HHS, which should provide not only a review of the currently available evidence under the conventional standard but also clarity on what research would be needed to ascertain marijuana’s appropriate scheduling status—including a possible move to Schedule II, which would make it medically available but ineligible for the tax deductions allowed for trade in Schedule III substances.
Of course, it’s possible that plant cannabis—as distinct from the isolated chemical compounds CBD and THC, already used in several medications—has no real medical value. But that doesn’t mean more research is bad. As an ardent critic of marijuana legalization, I’d be happy to find good evidence that cannabis can be used as a medicine.
Regardless, a big push on marijuana research would help Trump cut the Gordian Knot of the rescheduling debate. It would give him credit with the public without further enabling the spread of an addictive substance that a majority of Americans now see as harmful. That’s a win-win for both the president and America.
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