PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- A marijuana convention drew thousands of people to the University of Southern Maine campus on Saturday.
The Portland Cannabis Convention, hosted by the New England Cannabis Network, displayed 65 vendors and 50 speakers from across the country.
It is the first time an out-of-state group has brought a convention to Maine.
The goal of the convention is to grow knowledge about cannabis, especially medicinal use, a case people may feel uncomfortable talking about with a doctor.
"We provide the opportunity for them to come down, ask questions in a safe environment with knowledgeable people who can provide them with the right answers so when they leave the convention, they can make the right decision for themselves," said Jeff Lawrence, one of the co-founders of the convention.
"The more information that we can provide, and the more education that's made available, the more people will understand that medical marijuana truly is -- and has always been -- a viable alternative to a lot of pharmaceutical and or medical treatments for ailments we've been treating otherwise for decades."
In Maine, there are eight dispensaries and roughly 2,000 registered caregivers. Maine is one of 34 states that allow some form of medical cannabis. In 1999, Maine legalized medical use of marijuana. The state's first dispensaries opened in 2011.
According to the Maine Revenue Service, the eight licensed dispensaries in the state generated $900,000 in sales tax in 2014.
"Well it's Maine. People like to buy local, and this is an industry that supports buying local. This is a billion-dollar industry, and it's just in its infancy," said Lawrence.
"This industry is creating jobs, and these jobs are here. They're not overseas -- they're right here," said Robert Wallace, a glass-worker who was selling pipes and other smoking paraphernalia.
Another benefit of the conference is how it breaks down stigma surrounding marijuana use.
"I personally work with a lot of cancer patients, and they come to us very, very sick -- looking for either relief from symptoms from traditional therapies or looking for a last-ditch effort to save their lives," said Catherine Lewis, the Board Director of the Medical Marijuana Caregivers of Maine. "It is imperative that they feel the ability to reach out."
"I have three young children. What do I tell them? I really don't want you smoking marijuana unless you're sick -- but there are people that are sick that this is helping," said Wallace.
The convention continues Sunday starting at 11 a.m.
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