If there are two things that I can say about the marijuana industry it’s that the industry is growing rapidly, and that the industry is complex. I talk to a lot of people from a lot of different backgrounds that are entering the marijuana industry. Almost all of them think that they know everything there is to know about the marijuana world. I always tell them that marijuana is different than any other thing they have ever done in any other industry. There are so many nuances that come with an underground industry that’s transitioning from out of the shadows.
The marijuana industry is complicated, and becomes more complicated everyday. Take for example my home state, Oregon. We have had a medical marijuana program since 1998. A little while later dispensaries started popping up. After a long, long wait we finally got a dispensary system in place. Oregon voters approved recreational marijuana in 2014, and for some reason Oregon politicians are trying to use rule-making for recreational marijuana as a platform for attacking the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program. If you were someone that just jumped into the industry in Oregon, I’d imagine you barely know which direction is up right now.
One thing that I always recommend to people that are new to the industry, especially if they are just testing the water, is to go to a major cannabis industry event. You will be surrounded by like minded individuals, which is important because networking is particularly vital in the marijuana industry, more so than any other industry I’ve ever seen. There is a lot of misleading and/or false information out there too, so it’s important to learn from proven leaders and innovators in the marijuana world.
If you are in the New York City area between June 17-19, whether you’re employed in the industry, a current business owner, a prospective owner of a marijuana business, etc., this is an event you can’t miss. New York Senator Diane Savino will be a keynote speaker, along with the Drug Policy Alliance’s Executive Director Ethan Nadelmann. That’s in addition to several other fantastic speakers that are experts in their sectors of the marijuana industry and/or activism. There will be booths and exhibitors covering a range of topics:
- Accounting & Insurance Services
- Advertising & Marketing Agencies
- Banking & Payment Processing Services
- Botanicals
- Containers, Bottles, & Packaging
- Dispensing & Vending Machines
- Displays & Fixtures
- Grow Lights
- Hemp Products
- Hydroponics & Cultivation Products
- Infused Edibles & Beverages
- Inventory Tracking
- Lawyers & Legal Resources
- Licensing Services
- Medical Resources
- Paraphernalia (Head Shop & Smoke Shop Goods)
- POS & Management Software
- Private Equity & Investment Resources
- Professional Training & Education
- Security Services & Equipment
- Seed Banks
- Testing & Lab Services
- Tinctures, Tonics, & Topicals
- Vaporizers
- And much, much, more
Click on the banner below to find out more about the event:
