The move to make recreational marijuana legal in California got a big boost this month when former Facebook president Sean Parker put another $1.25 million into the campaign backing Prop. 64 on the November ballot, bringing his total contributions so far to $2.5 million.

Nevada will have a similar measure up for a vote in November, as well four other states, according to the Los Angeles Times. As public opposition to marijuana softens, Marijuana Business Daily predicts that legal pot could become an $8 billion industry in the U.S. by 2018, the Times says.

Recreational marijuana use is legal to some extent in Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and the District of Columbia. And with statistics from the University of Michigan showing that more college students smoke marijuana than smoke cigarettes, the role that cannabis plays in the event world will continue to grow.

(Note: Marijuana use remains illegal in the eyes of the federal government. As a result, banks tend to steer of the cannabis industry, and so many of these businesses operate strictly in cash. )

When recreational cannabis is legal, here are some of the ways it affects the event industry:
#1 Face facts: Some out-of-state guests who visit recreational-legal states are going to want to try cannabis while there.
The meeting planner for a major financial services firm foresaw this issue when his company brought a group of high-level executives to a retreat in Colorado, far from the firm's headquarters. Although his company conducts routine drug testing, he tells Special Events that he worked with top management to ensure the guests would not be subjected to drug testing for 100 days after the Colorado trip.

#2 For those ready to experiment, it's usually at social events, and usually with edibles.
Cannabis is more popular at social events than corporate, and edibles—such as the famed "pot brownie"—seem to be the cannabis vehicle of choice.

Event expert Mary Ann Reilly, who has overseen The Special Event and now coordinates events from her base in Eugene, Ore., notes the wide array of elegant cannabis edibles now available in Oregon dispensaries. From pot brownies to tartlets to candy, "It's a marvel to see how they market" the edibles, Reilly says. [See photo above, a pot chocolate cookie from Oregon-based Karma Treats.]
But a pot brownie is not the same as a shot of whiskey.

One event supplier in Colorado notes that the state is working to educate cannabis consumers about its effects—which don't always hit right away. "I have noticed that Colorado has started a campaign to educate people that edibles take up to four hours to take effect, and not to mix with alcohol," the source says "I’ve heard that over-consumption of edibles and mixing with alcohol has created most problems for users."

#3 The cannabis industry is driving up the cost of warehouse space.
An unexpected outcome of the legalization vote in Colorado has been the cannabis industry's power to gobble up warehouse space, says one Denver-based event company.

"Pot companies--growers, supplies, etc.--are able to pay a much higher rate than a rental company, for instance," the source says. "A lot of event industry folks are 'stuck' where they are--if they're even able to re-sign their leases without being outbid or have their lease rate raised exponentially. The rent, housing and warehouse leasing have gone up so high, so fast, it's really creating a lot of problems."

Doug Lane, president of Denver-based Fastlane Productions, notes that he has some eight grow houses within 300 feet of his office. The grow houses are off-limits to visitors, employ 24-hour security, and "work at lot at night," he says.

#4 If your attendees want to visit a cannabis shop, maybe the shops will handle it for you.
A planer for a major corporate based in Seattle notes that her workplace is near cannabis shops and, "Several have shuttles to pick up customers from the local hotels, cruise ships, and so on," she notes

#5 Be aware: Cannabis regulations vary from city to city.
The cannabis laws in Washington are different from those in Colorado, and Colorado allows local jurisdictions within its borders to opt out of permitting pot. These discrepancies make it more complicated for event planners hosting guests from out of state who wish to partake.

A source in Colorado notes, "One major problem is that tourists aren’t aware of the laws. For example, it’s not legal to consume in public--including hotel balconies or parks. We’ve also seen that people are leaving behind unconsumed cannabis because they can’t take it across state lines or on airplanes. Therefore, the hotels, B&Bs, etc., are having to dispose of the cannabis - or turn it into the police. It has created a strange situation.

What Hasn't Changed: In some good news, cannabis use doesn't seem to be causing any new problems for keeping event staff sober and fit for duty. Event pros interviewed for this article say they have not had a problem with staffers showing up to work stoned.

"Our marijuana policy mimics that of our alcohol policy: No alcohol, marijuana or drugs while on the Blue Danube Productions clock, including break times," explains Niki McKay, principal with Seattle-based Blue Danube Productions. "It’s pretty direct and simple. If you show up for work under the influence, you are immediately sent home and fired. Since what we do is technical, and it is a safety issue--there is no tolerance."