By Janessa Hilliard | Phoenix New Times
Pot is profitable. Whether intentional or not, that was the message behind the Southwest Cannabis Conference and Expo earlier this week.
A few thousand people turned out for the inaugural event, held at the Phoenix Convention Center in the heart of downtown. The three-day experience hosted a career fair and two-day convention of panel discussions, people-watching, and networking. Some flew in from Atlanta and Miami, while others drove in from Las Vegas and Tucson.
Prices for individual entry were steep, ranging from $100 to $550, depending on the perks, which meant a lot more suit-and-ties than just-rolled-out-of-bed looks, though pot paraphernalia and cannabis-forward fashion couldn’t help but be spotted. Still, attendance was mixed, bringing lots of advocates, appreciators and social smokers, local organizers and lawyers, and business owners and corporate CEOs.
