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Puff, puff, pass will take on a new meaning when recreational cannabis becomes legal in Canada later this year.

And not just in the way you might think.

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Some Canadian colleges and universities are preparing people for the thousands of potential new jobs expected to be created as the country’s booming weed industry — valued at $23 billion by accounting firm Deloitte — transitions from the black market to a legal one with an estimated 5 million existing customers across the country.

“The growth will be exponential,” said Debbie Johnston, dean of the school of continuing education at Durham College in Oshawa.

“It’s just like when prohibition was ended. This is an utterly unique opportunity in the market. These don’t come along very often.”

As of last November, Durham College started offering a monthly weekend course (moving to twice monthly in April due to demand) called Medical Cannabis Fundamentals for Business Professionals, that can accommodate 30 students in the classroom and 30 remotely. (Cost: $399.95 plus tax for two seven-hour days.)