Teacher Fired for Cannabis Blog: The Story of the “Cannabis Scientist”

Despite the ongoing medical and recreational cannabis reforms in half of the U.S. states, most local and regional laws still do not protect potential cannabis users from workplace discrimination and sanctions. A recent high-profile incident involving a teacher fired for running a blog about cannabis properties has sparked an important question among activists: Do educational institutions have the right to control their employees’ off-duty cannabis use and impose penalties such as fines or termination, even though they receive funding from recreational cannabis tax revenues?

The “Cannabis Scientist” and His Story

“So, you probably think that here in Colorado, the ‘War on Drugs’ is over,” says Carter Baird, also known as the “Cannabis Scientist,” about the situation in his home state. “Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.”

Mr. Baird is a certified scientist. Over the past five years, he has worked with CO2 extraction equipment, as an infusion systems engineer in the food industry, and as a professional lab technician in a major scientific laboratory. He holds two degrees, one in organic chemistry and another in performing arts. A few years ago, during a break between jobs, Baird started a YouTube blog for fun, focusing on cannabis use and the study of the plant’s properties, where he adopted the persona of the “Cannabis Scientist.”

In his videos, dressed as a scientist in a white lab coat with curled mustaches, Baird discussed various cannabis-related topics while strolling down Denver’s 16th Street Mall. In the style of the well-known Bill Nye, he covered subjects ranging from the basic properties of therapeutic cannabis to the potential risks of national legalization, all in an accessible, lighthearted, and humorous way.

Although the channel quickly gained a loyal following and received support from local cannabis businesses and activists, Baird soon found a new job at a major laboratory, leading him to put his personal project on indefinite hold.

Conflict with the School

A couple of years after shelving his channel, Baird changed jobs several times before becoming a substitute teacher at his old high school, Peak to Peak Charter School, in Lafayette, Colorado.

After several months of uneventful work, Baird was suddenly summoned to the principal’s office for a “serious conversation” about a “gross violation of staff conduct ethics.” In the principal’s office, Baird was met by a committee including the school board and the HR director.

“They asked me to sit down and explained that a few days earlier, supposedly one of my students had found my old cannabis-themed channel online,” he told reporters. “Despite the tense atmosphere and the board’s obvious concern, no one could explain exactly how I had violated ‘teacher ethics.’ As far as I could tell, I was being fired simply because a teacher supposedly shouldn’t say anything positive about cannabis, even though the plant is now fully legal.”

The Problem of Firing Citizens for Legal Cannabis Use

Baird claims that during the hiring process, he did not hide the fact that he uses cannabis and once ran a blog about it. He never used cannabis recreationally or therapeutically while at work, nor did he discuss cannabis use with his students.

Despite these facts, the school administration fired Baird without ceremony. Now, the former teacher is challenging his dismissal in court, citing precedents such as the 2015 Coats case. In that case, Brandon Coats, a disabled technician who legally used medical cannabis in his free time, was fired from Dish Network after failing a routine drug test. Even though Coats broke no local laws, the company fired him based on its internal policy strictly prohibiting any psychoactive substance use among employees.

Baird uses cannabis to treat symptoms of multiple sclerosis and cannot stop using it without risking his health. However, this argument was completely ignored by his former employer. Baird and thousands of other workers have faced termination for off-duty cannabis use, but Colorado authorities have yet to take action to protect users’ rights.

School Policy and Cannabis Tax Funding

What frustrates Baird and other Colorado workers fired for legal cannabis use is that organizations like Peak to Peak Charter School directly benefit from medical and recreational cannabis sales. The state government openly admits that a portion of cannabis excise and sales taxes goes to subsidize the operation and construction of public and private schools throughout the region.

“At first, I thought the school acted this way because they refused to accept cannabis tax money on principle,” Baird told reporters. “But it turned out the school had been regularly receiving cannabis fund allocations for years, as documented in public records. In other words, I feel the administration acted hypocritically by firing me so quickly for publishing educational content about cannabis, while openly accepting money from recreational and medical cannabis taxes.”

“Peak to Peak declines to comment on its hiring and firing policies,” said the only written statement from the school’s assistant principal, Jennifer Dowswardis. “We acknowledge that the school has received state government funds for building repairs and expansion. We officially thank state taxpayers for their contributions to our and other schools’ operations.”

The “Cannabis Scientist’s” New Mission

Baird’s previously frozen YouTube channel is now active again. Under each video, there are numerous messages from supporters, including Baird’s students, criticizing the school’s and state’s policies that allow this kind of discrimination.

“All I know about you is that you teach lower grades at our school and run a cannabis channel, which is super cool,” reads one comment on the channel’s page.

“As someone who has followed your channel for a long time, I want to say your former employer acted extremely unfairly, violating your civil rights to free speech. After all, the Colorado government and YouTube administration found nothing wrong with your videos, so what exactly did the school directors object to in your educational show?” says another comment.

Other supporters, including young cannabis users, believe that educational material discussing the risks of frequent cannabis use in adolescence can help prevent early exposure among younger generations.

Currently, Baird’s supporters are organizing a rally in his defense, demanding the school compensate him with severance pay or reinstate him in his position.

Baird himself says the incident not only drew attention to an important issue but also allowed him to return to his YouTube channel. “I used to make videos just for fun, never imagining people would be genuinely interested in educational and entertaining cannabis content,” he said in an interview.