Moving out of the weeds and toward the mainstream, cannabis conference comes to Philly

This weekend, Philadelphia will play host to its first-ever cannabis conference.

The event, which happens to fall just a few weeks after Pennsylvania lawmakers legalized medical marijuana, is a chance for attendees to network and hear from speakers about their experiences growing, selling and marketing marijuana in other states.

“We saw a huge opportunity to bring the best practices from the top industry leaders to the East Coast,” said Tyler Dautrich, founder of Greenhouse Ventures, which is organizing the event.

Though it could take a while, Pennsylvania may eventually have 25 approved medical marijuana growing sites and 150 store-front dispensaries, potentially serving hundreds of thousands of approved patients.

And that could translate to a sizable aboveboard marijuana industry in the region, albeit one with tight regulations.

The conference is also a chance to help raise the profile of the legal cannabis sector, Dautrich said.

“The stigma is still very real in this industry, and it is unfortunate, because it is holding the industry back from advancing, maturing, and taking that next step toward higher sophistication,” he said.

“Innovation in the Cannabis Industry: Technology, Medical, & Investment” will take place Saturday at the Chemical Heritage Foundation, as part of Philly Tech Week.