Virginia Cannabis Conference in Williamsburg Nov. 1-2 at the Beautiful Fort Magruder Hotel and Conference Center --Early-Bird Registration Ends on Oct. 15

This 2-day event brings together a coalition of advocates, industry leaders, policy staffers, and other non-traditional partners to educate, energize, empower, and connect the various stakeholders we need to decriminalize marijuana possession, and achieve medical and recreational LEGAL cannabis for all Virginians.

Register now and Book your lodging. Register before October 15 and receive the Early Bird Discount. Also everyone who registers before October 15 will be entered in a drawing for a FREE REGISTRATION!

At this year’s Cannabis conference, we will:
1. Inspire more aware, educated, and confident advocates to work to change laws,
2. Connect industry, advocates, politicians, and other stakeholders around a future that includes a strong cannabis economy, and
3. Grow a stronger, more engaged, and more unified movement that will win state-wide legislative change.

With legislative action just around the corner in 2015, this is a conference that you do not want to miss. Whether you are a seasoned advocate, new on the scene, a potential investor in a legal Virginia cannabis industry, or a partner that wants to see Virginia’s laws treat adults fairly, this is a conference that is sure to leave you saying “I know more and I want to do more.”

How to register. Registration includes breakfasts, lunches, dynamic programming, and a variety of collaborative opportunities for you to dig into reforming marijuana laws in Virginia. And, of course, Saturday night’s party will be off the hook. Register at our Eventbrite page.

Limited Number of Scholarships available. Thanks to generous sponsorship support, we will have a limited number of hardship scholarships available. Please indicate your interest in being considered for a scholarship that would reduce the registration rate by 50%.

Lodging. Rooms are available for $99/night at the Fort Magruder Hotel and Conference Center but must be booked by October 10 to ensure availability. Book your room online or call the hotel directly at 757-220-2250. For the reduced rate, use group code “NORML” when booking.

Sponsorship Opportunities Available. Sponsor support helps Virginia NORML offer a limited number of hardship scholarships and provides additional money needed to secure those great speakers we all want to hear. Click here to download the sponsorship opportunities packet for the 2014 Cannabis Conference.

DRAFT AGENDA

SATURDAY

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Throughout the day: Poster sessions; Silent Auction, 50:50 raffle

9:00-10:00: Breakfast and registration

10:00-10:15: Welcome, agenda review, recognition of sponsors and planning committee—Why are we here?

10:15-11:30: Telling Our Stories, Building a more connected community to drive Virginia Cannabis Law Reform (small group breakouts, sharing our stories, sharing what we learned and what’s important with the whole group)

11:30-1:00: A Vision for Virginia - Panel of Possibilities (4-5 panelists talk for 8 min each, small groups discuss what they heard and what questions they have to learn more, lots of time in Q&A)

o Erik Altieri, NORML

o Jake Agliata, Students for a Sensible Drug Policy

o Other panelists to be announced

1:00-2:00: Lunch, Keynote-- Dr. Jahan Marcu, Ph.D., Vice Chair, Americans for Safe Access Multidisciplinary Scientific Advisory Board

2:00-4:00: Growing our Work and our Community (appropriate discussion topics identified by participants, break people into groups to talk about those topics in more detail, share what we learned with the whole group)

4:00-5:30: The Future for Cannabis Law Reform in Virginia (quick presentation on what the organization is doing including presenting our strategy, small group work to give feedback on our strategy, and voting to help us prioritize the feedback prior to wrapping up for the day)

8:00-11:30: Conference Party—hear good music, socialize, and get to know fellow advocates

Sunday

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Throughout the day: Poster sessions; Silent Auction, 50:50 raffle

9:00-9:30: Welcome for day 2, review what we learned from day 1, reflections had over night

9:30-11:30: Preparing for a Cannabis Economy (can take same approach as day 1, 2:00 PM outline)

o Jan Carlos Byl, CEO, MedCanna Consulting

o Other panelists to be announced

11:30-1:00: Building a Stronger Coalition (using same panel approach from day 1 at 11:30)

o Shirley Ginwright, NAACP

o Victoria Bragunier, Alliance for Progressive Values

o Jason Amatucci, Founder, Virginia Industrial Hemp Coalition

o Other panelists to be announced

1:00-2:30: Lunch and Panel on Medical Cannabis in Virginia—What’s next (same panel approach as outlined on day 1, 11:30 activity, but with a specific focus on medical)

o Jahan Marcu—moderator

o Malik Burnett, Drug Policy Alliance

o Michael Krawitz

o TJ Thompson, President, Safe Access Virginia

2:30-3:30: Taking Action Statewide and back to Your Community (A small group activity geared to help participants get to know others in their community and to develop an action plan (based on what we’ve learned) that we will use to move work forward on a local and state level)

3:30-4:00: Wrap it up, thank yous, something to celebrate our progress!