About Trichome Institute
There is a lot of conflicting information when it comes to cannabis education. Courses at Trichome Institute help students learn the facts, be knowledgeable advocates, and Weed Better.




Affiliations & Accreditations

Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment

Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division

Department of Health of Puerto Rico

American Culinary Federation
Science & Medical Expert Review
- Franjo Grotenhermen, Nova-Institute, Hürth, Germany
- Nolan Kane, Cannabis Genomic Research Initiative, Boulder, CO
- Noel Palmer, Mary’s Medicinals, Seattle, Washington
- Julius Gavin and Martha Montemayor, Healthy Choices Unlimited, Denver, CO
- Joe Cohen, Holos Health, Boulder, CO
- Stephen Goldman, PhytaTech Labs, Denver CO
Legal Review
Legal review was provided by the Law Offices of Vicente Sederberg LLC, Denver, CO. Members of Vicente Sederberg, LLC were instrumental in writing and shaping cannabis legalization in the state of Colorado. They continue to help develop the regulatory and legal landscape of cannabis in Colorado and around the country.
Industry Professional & Customer Reviews

Interpening Book Reviews
“UNIQUE, TIMELY, INDESPENSABLE…
This art and science of characterizing marijuana varieties through olfactory training adds the crucial next dimension in deciding on your next purchase in this ncreasingly complex contemporary marketplace”
Rick Strassman, MD
Author of DMT: The Spirit Molecule
“A FASCINATING READ…
Montrose’s pioneering books teaches readers how to use their senses to evaluate cannabis quality as well as predict potency and physical effects, thus imparting invaluable practical knowledge to connoisseurs and patients alike.”
Nishi Whiteley
Author of Chronic Relief: A Guide to Cannabis for the Terminally and Chronically Ill
Meet the Team

Max Montrose
President
Before Trichome Institute was a company and interpening was a thing, Max was teaching mmj patients in Colorado how to figure out which bud was best for them. The foundation of Trichome stems from a guy who loves cannabis, wants to help people, and most likely is from another universe. Max’s favorite things to do when he’s not on conference calls or doing podcasts include:
- Traveling the world in search of the most exotic reptiles and other creatures that most people are terrified of
- Going to stoned yoga in hopes of finding the love of his life (Update – he found her!)
- Talking to his plants… like full conversations… they talk back…

Jim Nathanson
CEO
Jim met Max at a conference back in the day and was blown away by the Weed Wheel™. After several months of talking about Max’s vision for the world of weed, accompanied by countless menorah bong hits, Max somehow talked Jim into writing him a fat check, and Trichome Institue was officially created! Jim’s favorite things to do when he’s not writing checks or telling the team to focus include:
- Being out on his boat where there is no cell service, catching dinner with his daughters and wife
- Polishing his enormous collection of Grateful Dead records
- Telling really painful dad jokes that would even make one of the guys from Jackass uncomfortable

Brandon Allen
Director of Research and Development
Brandon found Trichome Institute on YouTube because he was a total noob to cannabis. Due to his super irritating OCD, he wanted to know about cannabis quality before he continued cooking with it. When he saw the video of Max and Damian Marley, he booked a flight to Denver and took the interpening course. Since then, he became the first High Times Top Cannabis Chef and is now the guy who cooks for all of us when we get together. Brandon’s favorite things to do when he isn’t responding to customer service tickets or reading medical studies about cannabis include;
- Cooking bacon, ribeye steaks, strip steaks, flank steaks, chicken wings, and bacon
- Eating the previously mentioned meaty things
- Smoking hemp flower because he has the tolerance of a newborn

Adam Norman
Director of Digital Media
Adam was sucked into the whimsical world of Trichome when, once upon a time, the young company was in need of some website work. It was originally just supposed to be a summer internship. However, Adam enjoyed learning about weed and bantering with the team so much that he decided to stick around. Adam’s birthday is 4/20. When he’s not banging his head against his desk with an IV drip of coffee while troubleshooting endless website glitches, you can usually find him:
- Running long distances aspiring to be like Forrest Gump
- Training the next generation of AI to take over the world
- Stopping to pet every dog he encounters