It seems that everywhere you turn these days there is a another cannabis conference popping up. They seem to be a trend, as of late. One thing we all know about trends is that they don’t last. The International Cannabis Business Conference (ICBC) was one of the first on the scene and is unique in many regards. First, even though it is a business conference, it feels a lot like a rally for cannabis reform. It is somewhere in between a high-end business conference and a progressive-thinking drug policy conference.

Secondly, the speakers at the ICBC are bar-none the best line-up of any cannabis conference in the nation. The speakers are more on par with the types of folks one might see at a big-time tech-conference. This year is no exception. Speaking at the ICBC will be the outspoken former Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders , revolutionary blogger Andrew Sullivan , cannabis legend Tommy Chong , and two current U.S. Congressmen (one Republican and one Democrat). Also speaking will be top experts from Canada, Spain, The Netherlands and the Czech Republic. Wow! As somebody who attends many of these conferences, it is refreshing to not see all of the same faces.

Thirdly, the ICBC only allows 25 exhibitors , therefore it is not a real, all-out expo, but rather an almost purely informational event. This is quite different than almost all other conferences, in that there are hundreds of people in the speaker hall at any given time. Other conferences can have a steady stream of people on the expo floor, however, sporadic crowd attendance for the speakers at best.

The energy is different at the ICBC. It has a vibe that is light and exciting. It almost feels like going to a big show, rather than conference. And, when it’s over, it feels like you part of something extremely special. The ICBC is breath of fresh air in an otherwise mundane (who would have ever thought that a pot event would be mundane?) sea of cookie cutter conferences. For those smart and/or lucky enough to attend, get ready for an epic time. See you there!