The cannabis industry investors, business owners and legalization advocates had met before to discuss the legal and regulatory headaches of operating in a world that’s licensed and regulated by states but illegal under federal law.

But what made those at Tuesday’s gathering describe it as a public relations milestone was the location: inside the Capitol complex.

Ohio Republican Rep. David Joyce, one of several members of Congress who dropped in throughout the day, said it was significant because people still have “the wrong idea” about the industry.

“They still think of it as some arcane, three guys in the woods growing marijuana,” he said. “Here you get to see that there are actually good people who have done hard work and research and are bringing cannabis forward as a medicine.”