Photo by Michael Zaia

Who thought Mass would ever see the day when its governor said out loud, as Charlie Baker did last week, that voters should decide whether the Bay State gets legal marijuana? We did, that’s who, and that’s why we’ve been pushing for an end to prohibition for more than a decade. Our belief in total liberation is also the reason that while other outlets took to hammering dispensaries attempting to open up in the Bay State, we got busy planning New England Cannabis Conventions (NECC), the third and most remarkable of which takes place this weekend at the Castle at Park Plaza.

It’s true. There’s a conspiracy. DigBoston is related to NECC, and we’re extremely proud of it. For one, as polls have shown, an overwhelming majority of people in this state (and a number of others) have grown tired of incarcerating folks for green. Furthermore, those of us who host as well as who attend NECC and events like it are at the vanguard of an overdue coming out party, and for once, we get to guide the narrative. With the state’s second medical marijuana dispensary, In Good Health in Brockton, getting up and running this month, it almost seems as if the handcuffs have been removed once and for all. Without further ado, here’s a snapshot of the entourage that will be joining us for what is bound to be a weekend that even the most hardcore stoners among us will remember.

• Come for the vibes, but stay for the education. As always, we’re shooting for the workshops to be equally informative and entertaining. On Saturday, September 12 we’re focusing on the cannabis industry and related policies, while on Sunday, September 13 the speaker panels will zero in on specific products and practices.

• There are far too many brilliant presenters to mention, but that doesn’t mean we can’t list a few. Take  Dr. Uma Dhanabalan, MD, whose Uplifting Health & Wellness in Natick has taken a lead in assisting Mass patients with various ailments. Along with medical cannabis experts like former MassCann/NORML President Bill Downing of Yankee Care Givers, prospective patients can get any number of burning questions answered.

• Let’s not forget the business side of things. Among the speakers will be Ben Holmes of the ground-breaking Centennial Seeds, Arnold Heckman of Cannaline Custom Packaging, and Daniel Fung of Theraplant and MedTab, which he describes as “a brand new homogenized, dosable form of dry MMJ Flowers.”

Finally, in addition to the slew of vendors—oh boy, will there be vendors—all you tech and science geeks will want to catch up with cell biologist C.J. Schwartz, as well as with the all-knowing Chris Hudalla of ProVerde Labs. While you’re at it, check for WeedShare CEO Scott Bettano, who has a way for heads to meet up with each other based on geographic location and/or strain preference. Not like you’ll have to look very far if you’re at NECC this weekend.