BOSTON —
More than 100 cannabis industry expert speakers were among the more than 10,000 visitors to the 2023 New England Cannabis Convention in Boston over the weekend.
It’s been four years since the first recreational pot shops opened in Massachusetts, and since then, sales have skyrocketed to more than $3 billion.
According to exhibitors, the New England Cannabis Convention has grown into the second-largest cannabis industry event in the United States, since it was first held back in 2015.
The convention is seen as an opportunity for everyone from business owners to home growers to come together, network and talk all things cannabis, including how far the industry has come and where they see it going.
Organizers say the recent legalization of recreational marijuana in states neighboring Massachusetts means the industry here could see some competition.
“It’s going to be interesting with both Connecticut and Rhode Island coming on and I assume New Hampshire,” Marc Shepard with the New England Cannabis Convention said. “You kind of had a free ride with people coming into Massachusetts to get their cannabis. And so it’s going to be a lot more competitive.”
Jim Belushi was this year’s keynote speaker. The actor and comedian is also a cannabis cultivator, owning a 93-acre farm in Oregon.
He signed autographs Saturday after talking about his journey as a grower and owner of Belushi’s Farms.
H/T: www.wcvb.com
