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Cannabis gold rush.


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"We are in the midst of creating a corporate, for-profit marijuana industry that has to rely on addiction for profit, and that's a much bigger issue than whether these stores take American Express," said Kevin Sabet, co-founder of the anti-legalization group Smart Approaches to Marijuana.
In this bold new era of greater marijuana acceptance, the business still remains in violation of federal laws. But, the entrepreneurs have asked to be regulated, licensed and taxed – just like any other trade. After more than seventy years as an illegal drug, is it possible that marijuana’s moment has arrived?
In a new analysis on the marijuana marketplace, San Francisco-based angel investor network ArcView Group forecasts a 64 percent surge in the legal U.S. cannabis market to $2.34 billion by 2014. The five-year national market could grow to $10.2 billion amid rising demand and potentially new state markets, according to ArcView forecasts.

Supporters of legalized marijuana are pushing for ballot measures in Alaska and California.

"There's been a remarkable evolution in the cannabis industry," said Steve Berg, editor at ArcView Market Research. ArcView offers start-up funds to cannabis businesses. "While certain people do still smoke joints, many other formats used are constituting an increasing portion of the market," Berg said.
New marijuana ingestion methods beyond smoking are helping to drive cannabis' growth. Marijuana concentrates are the fastest growing category of products. Oil extracted from raw cannabis also can offer exact dosing for medicinal purposes, including the treatment of chronic pain. Nonsmoking technologies include vaporization, edibles and capsules.

In the midst of this social experiment to abolish cannabis prohibition, entrepreneurs are jumping into a Wild West-like landscape of marijuana market opportunities. They're hoping for a first-mover advantage. This new gold rush sometimes is referred to as a "green rush," led by "ganjapreneuers."

Beyond actual pot production and sales, more ancillary businesses are emerging, including security, insurance and e-commerce companies that support the legal marijuana supply chain.
Denver-based Dixie Elixir, a leading maker of cannabis-laced edibles. Its products include cannabis-infused chocolate, ice cream, beverages, capsules, bath soaks and muscle relief lotion. Dixie Elixir employs a national branding and licensing strategy, with plans to grow and be acquired.

Cannabis gold rush