Boston Plays Host To 'Cannacon,' A Marijuana Business Convention

BOSTON (CBS) -- Marijuana business leaders are getting together for a convention in Boston.

The commonwealth's prospective marijuana dealers are gathering at the Hynes Convention Center for "Cannacon," a meeting designed to help anyone who wants to get into the marijuana business.

One of the conference attenders is Willy White, who has lived in Amsterdam for the past 20 years. He says he wants to come back home, "and be accepted."

White has been teaching the business of marijuana in a Dutch university and he has a message for Massachusetts lawmakers. He says if the tax is higher than the voter approved 12 percent, the black market will thrive.

"The whole point of this is to get rid of the black market, to regulate it where your communities are safe. There isn't pesticides on your products and people aren't using steroids," White said.

He says there is an appropriate tax, but not one that will encourage the backyard growers to start dealing.

Another convention attender is Adam Dunn, and he's telling the budding pot business people that they better have lots of cash on hand.

"You're a farmer. Farming is hard to predict. You can be as good as you can be and you can get wiped out by a blight or insects, or disease or a pesticide. There are so many things that can come around that you don't understand you are there," Dunn said.

He has one goal for this weekend's convention.

"It's to help people realize their dream and/or to decide to get out early," Dunn said.

The convention is happening as a House and Senate Conference Committee at the Statehouse struggles with a compromise bill to tax and regulate marijuana sales in Massachusetts.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Lana Jons reports