Global Ganja Report

The 2011 Hempcon medical marijuana convention in Denver in October prompted local fears of a "green rush" in the Centennial State. Sixteen states now allow some form of legalized medical marijuana, but only Colorado explicitly allows cannabis businesses to operate as such—making it the first for-profit marijuana marketplace in the United States. Between 2000—when voters approved the state's medical marijuana initiative—and 2008, Colorado issued roughly 2,000 medical marijuana cards to patients living in the state. By 2011, that number had jumped to more than 127,000 paying customers, according to the Colorado Medical Marijuana Registry—with at least 25,000 more have applications pending.

Michelle LaMay, chair of Willie Nelson's Teapot Party in Colorado, said she would rather the for-profit side of cannabis disappear completely. "I've never met so many greedy slugs in my whole life," LaMay said. "I've taken calls from over 3,000 people who want to start their own cannabis business—all out-of-towners convinced there's a fortune to be made here." (Bloomberg, Nov. 20)

Graphic by Herbal Remedies