If you've ever wanted to make money off of marijuana without getting arrested, here's your chance to learn how.
The North Hollywood-based Cannabis Career Institute, an organization that specializes in the medical marijuana business, will hold a seminar in Chicago this weekend to discuss jobs in the industry. Doctors, managers, lawyers and other specialists will tell stories of their involvement and success.
CCI established itself in 2009 to help people create business opportunities. According to CCI, the medical marijuana industry could seriously boost the job market, citing a 3,000 percent growth in job openings since 2005. The organization also claims that cannabis-related business ownership has increased.
CCI's seminar is timely as Illinois residents prepare to adapt to the state's new medical marijuana law that legislators passed in August. The bill states that a person can be prescribed up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis over two weeks. The prescribing doctor must have a history with the patient, and marijuana can only be obtained through one of 60 state dispensaries.
Some are already gearing up for the change, even though the law doesn't go into effect until January. A clinic in Wicker Park, for example, opened up a week after Gov. Pat Quinn signed the bill. It has been offering physician evaluations and taking calls about the state's certification process since then.
The day-long seminar will be hosted at Rosemont's Hyatt Regency O'Hare Hotel Saturday, Sept. 28. Registration information can be found at the organization's website.
