Frequently asked questions

What is Responsible Vendor Training?

Responsible Vendor Training is an MED and CDPHE approved training curriculum that will teach employees of dispensaries, delivery companies, and hospitality establishments how to sell cannabis and cannabis products to the public compliantly. Once all employees who manage day to day operations have completed training, the store will be considered a Responsible Vendor. The designation is a mitigating factor for the licensee in the event of a violation or fine from the MED. That fact alone makes this training worth every penny.



Why is Responsible Vendor Training Important? We already train our employees.

Konope Compliance offers an RVT course that is approved by the state, and because it is approved by the state, any dispensary that had all their employees trained from a certified course is deemed a Responsible Vendor by the MED and CDPHE. This is important, if or when, the MED ever comes knocking, and issues an infraction or a violation or worse, a violation against public safety, against your store license. As a Responsible Vendor, your dispensary license will receive a lesser infraction, violation, fine, or both, because you had your employees trained by an RV provider, like Konope Compliance. You do not have to take the training from only one provider to be a Responsible Vendor. You only have to take the training from an accredited provider.



We have employees that have already taken the course at another dispensary, do we need to have them take the training again?

In short, unfortunately, yes. The long answer is because C.R.S 44-11-1102 states the Responsible Vendor designation is only assigned to the medical or retail store license and not the employee. So, when an employee leaves one job at a dispensary for another, they must take the RVT within their first 90 days of hire, in order for the dispensary that just hired them to keep their Responsible Vendor designation.



How do we get employees signed up for online training?

After receiving payment for the training, Konope Compliance will onboard the employees into the Learning Management System. From there, the employees can log in on their own by clicking on the link they receive in their email and take the course when they have time. For larger companies on a time crunch, you could have 500 employees signed up and ready to access the training in 30 min.



How long will the training take?

The required minimum duration of training is 2 hours from the MED. This training will take brand new employees to the industry 2.5 to 3 hours. Experienced employees or management will complete the course in 2 hours. The 2-hour duration is not negotiable. A completion report will be sent for your records that show every employee met the minimum duration of the training, or the MED could void the Responsible Vendor designation. Employees will have three weeks to finish the training from the date they are enrolled in the course.



How often do employees need to take the training?

As long as the employee has taken the course while working for your company and they do not leave to go work for another company that does not share common ownership, they retake the training every 2 years. Remember, if you hire a new employee, they have 90 days to complete a RVT course while employed with your company. A certificate of completion will say what company they worked for when taking the training which is why it's important to get them certified under your license.



How is Konope Compliance's Responsible Vendor Training different from other companies?

Konope Compliance's Responsible Vendor Training is different from other companies' Responsible Vendor Training because it was developed by a Colorado cannabis industry veteran with a decade of first-hand experience. Five years as a budtender and general manager of some of Colorado's top dispensaries give us a unique perspective that no other provider can match.
We can update our training in an instant. We can add training materials, like industry bulletins, at will. You will never be watching a training video made last year that can't be changed this year.
We only charge $80 per employee, with maintenance plans for larger companies with more turnover of retail staff, we provide a better value than any other training. Don't take this training simply because of the price. The average fine issued from the MED in 2019 was $7500.



If we used another Responsible Vendor Training Provider in the past, do we have to get the entire staff trained again if we chose Konope Compliance?

No. As long as you get your employees trained by an approved Responsible Vendor Training Provider, you are good to go. Give us a try today to see if we are a better option for your dispensary.



Who needs to take the training?

All dispensary staff, management, or owners, that partake in cannabis or cannabis product sales in the dispensary. It is a required training for all Hospitality Establishment employees and Delivery Permit employees.



Is this training for all states with cannabis laws?

At this time, no, it is not. The Responsible Vendor Training Course is approved by the State of Colorado's Marijuana Enforcement Division and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and is only accredited to designate Colorado dispensary licensees. Other states Responsible Vendor Training Programs, specific to their own regulations, are in development.



What score do you need to pass the test?

70% or better. You'll pass don't worry!



What is Konope?

It's pronounced Ko - no - PAY, which means cannabis in Slovak. My grandfather was from Czechoslovakia, and spoke Slovak, so it was a nice coincidence when the best translation for cannabis in another language was indeed, Slovak.



I am new to the industry, can I take this course to help me get a job?

The short answer is yes. You will always benefit from more education, and this course will give a new employee a crash course on cannabis sales in Colorado. The long answer is no; you will not be hired because you have already taken this course. After all, once you are hired, the company will need to get you trained again to keep their responsible vendor designation. However, if they see you have taken this course before, they may see you as a better fit for their team. It's a way to get some experience without having any previous experience.