Update: Tommy Chong to Appear at First Annual Cannapalooza

Update: Cannapalooza has been cancelled.
Official statement...
 "We regret to inform all of our fans who were eagerly anticipating the Cannapalooza event that Mandalay Bay has decided to cancel our contract for space and therefore we will not be able to hold the event. We are incredibly disappointed and appreciate the overwhelming support for the event that we have received since first announcing our plans."

LAS VEGAS, NV--(Marketwire - January 27, 2010) - March Madness takes on a whole new meaning with the first ever Cannapalooza event, debuting March 19-21, 2010 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. Cannapalooza, the international marketplace for all things cannabis, will showcase the latest products and technologies that have made cannabis one of the fastest growing industries in the world. Open to the public, Cannapalooza expects to draw 50,000 attendees from across the country and around the world.

Now, more than ever cannabis is moving into the mainstream, with marijuana playing a key role in popular culture. Showtime's Weeds, pot infused musical lyrics and cover stories in national media outlets, along with heated political and medical debate have all pushed cannabis into the spotlight. The beauty and fashion industries have embraced the plant as well, with a rise in demand for natural hemp clothing and cosmetics.

The event will span 50,000 square feet of convention center space and is designed to provide an entertaining forum where everyone from industry insiders and medical marijuana users to those with a casual interest can gather to celebrate the culture. Attendees will be surrounded by every imaginable product including hand blown glassware, industrial hemp goods and more. For three days Cannapalooza will be the largest head shop on the planet.

Cannapalooza will also feature an educational symposium moderated by NORML's Russ Belville, with expert speakers and celebrity guests addressing legalization, decriminalization and medicinal benefits, while debunking marijuana myths and sharing simple home garden techniques, green agricultural technologies and more.

Legalization and reform advocacy groups including The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), Americans for Safe Access (ASA), Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), and Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) will be represented at Cannapalooza. Currently fourteen states, including Nevada, allow for the medical usage of marijuana and another fourteen are weighing legislation or ballot initiatives that would legalize medical marijuana in 2010. There are strong movements pushing for the outright legalization of cannabis across the United States, including California's Tax and Regulate initiative that will be on the 2010 ballot.

To learn more about the event or reserve exhibitor space, visit www.cannapalooza.com.