The O’Cannabiz International Conference, Awards and Expo, one of Canada’s leading cannabis events, has announced further speakers for the annual conference.
The O’Cannabiz Conference and Expo is set to take place from 1-3 June at the International Centre in Toronto with three full days of panels, networking opportunities and new educational programmes. O’Cannabiz describes the event as a meeting place for cannabis industry professionals to come together and celebrate the brands, companies and people contributing to the success of the industry.
Wanda James, the first African American woman to own a cannabis dispensary, will join the O’Cannabiz programme this year as a keynote speaker. Opening the Retail Summit, Wanda will present the knowledge and experience she has obtained working in the industry over the past decade, speaking about the stigma surrounding the plant and the racial inequities of the cannabis industry.
The event will include the annual Industry Gala Awards on 1 June at Casa Loma, paying tribute to those who have made an impact on the industry. Awards will be presented from categories including cannabis industry, cannabis people, retail, cultivation, and people’s choice.
O’Cannabiz will be awarding Steve DeAngelo the Lifetime Achievement Award for their dedication and passion for the cannabis industry. Steve is known for his active role in the community for over four decades as an activist, author, educator and entrepreneur in the cannabis reform movement.
O’Cannabiz has also added new core elements to the event including a two-day Retail Summit, Psychedelic Summit and Budtender Speed Dating event. The Retail Summit was created to focus on the needs and goals of cannabis retailers, medical dispensary operators and the businesses that service them, O’Cannabiz organisers said.
The Psychedelic Summit aims to highlight the growing industry and the innovative research being developed, while the Budtender Speed Dating event will connect licensed producers and retailers to the minds that are getting their products into consumers’ hands.
“O’Cannabiz 2022 is going to sweep cannabis professionals off their feet and give them access to all areas of the industry in one space, ” says Neill Dixon, President of O’Cannabiz. “ We are really excited to see how our new programs, speakers and panels will influence members of the community to grow and succeed in this industry.”
