The Oregon Marijuana Business Conference (OMBC), the longest-running cannabis industry conference in the Beaver State, will be bringing its trademark blend of business information, activism, culture and networking opportunities to Eugene on April 28th at the River Valley Inn. Musician, actor, writer, and television and radio host, Henry Rollins, will be delivering the keynote address, bringing his unique socially conscious message to OMBC attendees. I’m happy to be helping organize this great event.
While the OMBC is designed to help those in the Oregon cannabis industry to thrive economically in the burgeoning marijuana market, the conference is just as interested in maintaining the foundations of the legalization movement–keeping people out of prison and ensuring that patients have safe access to medicine, making Rollins’ a great speaker for the event. Rollins recently wowed a sold-out crowd at the International Cannabis Business Conference (ICBC) last February.
In a recent LA Weekly column, Rollins spoke about his vision for the cannabis industry, in line with the priorities of Alex Rogers, lead producer of both the OMBC and ICBC:
We both agreed that these future sellers were hopefully aware that they’re part of a cultural shift, and with that fact comes responsibility. If they were just after money, cannabis products would soon turn into just another thing to buy, instead of something that has had to overcome decades of purposeful misrepresentation.
It was this point that I drove home as forcefully as I could during my all-too-brief time slot of 40 minutes. I told the audience, several hundred strong, that if they were just capitalists looking for the next thing to make a profit from, they were part of the problem. It’s this money-over-all-else ethic that destroyed the major record label industry, which has never recovered. It would be the ultimate defeat if the marijuana industry went the same way.
During the Q&A, someone literally took the words out of my mouth and suggested that vendors should be like microbreweries, where quality is the priority. I remarked that many of them were likely going to become quite wealthy but that wealth was worthless if it just made you mean.
With a strong focus on maintaining the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program and helping small farmers, the OMBC is a perfect fit for Henry Rollins’ message. The OMBC, as usual, will provide the latest news to attendees and help activists make their voices heard.
In addition to the latest information, the OMBC provides excellent networking opportunities, particularly at the VIP reception. “We are very excited that Henry Rollins will be keynoting the OMBC and joining industry professionals at our VIP reception on the 27th, along with other speakers and industry professionals,” stated Alex Rogers. “If you are in the Oregon cannabis industry, or are thinking of joining, the OMBC is the must-attend event.”
For more information and to purchase conference only “early bird” tickets for $149 or all-inclusive early bird passes for $249, visit www.oregonmbc.com or call (888) 920-6076. These prices end April 14th. The event is expected to sell out.
