Despite federal raids and local land-use fights plaguing marijuana dispensaries, the industry will soon go from medicinal to outright legal, says Freddy Sayegh, an activist and criminal defense attorney. California will join the ranks of Colorado and Washington, he says, and it’s only a matter of time before the federal government reclassifies the drug from a Schedule I controlled substance, deemed to have no medical benefit, to a Schedule II, which recognizes clinical properties and allows researchers to legally study the plant.

“That’s a future we should all prepare for,” says Sayegh, the keynote speaker at HempCon in San Jose this week. “Things will change drastically. This will move from a non-profit to a for-profit market, a competitive market opened up to recreational uses. I believe 2014 is the year to talk about what future distribution models will look like and look back at what we can learn from other states that have legalized it already.”

Sayegh will join a host of other speakers and about 10,000 attendees at the fifth annual HempCon, which kicks off a four-city tour Friday at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center.

The convention runs through Sunday, and it is both festival and educational event, showcasing the latest in smoking accessories and hydroponics.

On the educational side, there are workshops and lectures on topics ranging from starting a delivery business to making THC-based lotions and elixirs. On Friday, cannabis consultant Ralf Rainer will talk about patient dispensary management, Cannabis Career Institute’s Robert Calkin will discuss legal compliance in California and hemp historian Gary Maciel will explore the weird past of the psychoactive plant. Weekend workshops include Sayegh’s keynote speech and more lectures from the Cannabis Career Institute on advanced cultivation, dispensary management, growing opportunities and investing in the marijuana industry.

Sayegh encourages attendees to learn about the laws surrounding THC wax, the super-concentrated butane hash oil, which is legal to possess with a cannabis card but illegal to manufacture.

“There have been a lot of new cases and arrests from people trying to make wax out of butane,” he says. “There’s so much vagueness in the law around concentrates in terms of what’s lawful to possess. But I’m fighting some big cases where people are facing up to six years in state prison for manufacturing butane-based concentrated cannabis. A lot of people don’t know the risk.”

Among the 90-plus vendors registered for the event, physicians from San Jose 420 Evaluations will conduct cannabis consultations on site. Attendees can find options for local treatment, learn about new ways to ingest the plant and ask for legal advice from several attorneys on hand.

Of course, HempCon is as much a haven for medicinal users as it is a celebration of marijuana culture, with clothing, souvenirs, scantily clad booth babes and live performances. Entertainment will range from a standup comedy lineup and THC oil cooking demo to a variety show and musical acts starring Addey Lance and Sour Diesel.

The aroma was noticeable about two blocks before walking through the doors of the San Jose Convention Center, where HempCon was held this past weekend.

Attendees were presented the immediate option of a medical marijuana card evaluation for the price of $60. For folks willing to wait in line—sometimes more than 100 people long—and pay the fee, there was the unavoidable yet strangely endearing presence of Henry Hemp.

No, Henry Hemp is not a new strain or nickname for a piece of paraphernalia. Henry Hemp has become an icon at medical marijuana expos due to the large marijuana plant-shaped foam hat he wears that says “HEMP” on the back. The spray-painted leafy details of his hat stand out even against the vibrant green of the foam.

“There are countries that want to cut my head off; there are people that support what I do,” said Hemp, whose real name is Magic Ellingson. “I’m just trying to spread peace, love and harmony.”

Ellingson’s energy was high Saturday, and it needed to be considering he had an hour on stage, which turned into a talent show and motivational talk for those who were listening.

When asked why he thinks events like HempCon are important to attend, Ellingson said that “it brings out the truth and education, and brings people together.”

There is some truth to this claim, as HempCon’s diversity was fairly apparent in its patrons and vendors, which included everything from pipes, bongs and vaporizers to artwork and clothing brands affiliated with legalizing and/or enjoying marijuana. There were bail bonds companies as well, for those who might enjoy themselves a little too much.

Most booths outside of the area restricted to people with medical marijuana prescriptions were centered on the contributions of hemp, such as oils and clothing. There was also a booth from THCFinder, a company that works to help patients find dispensaries either online or through the app they have created.

But on the other side of the HempCon wall, a large partition that separates an area for people with a medical card, the landscape is entirely different. Vendors aggressively pushed special deals on grams and eighths, while others more leisurely offered samples of pot-infused sugar cookies.

Mixed in the mesh of models and megaphones advertising “Purple Martian Kush, bro!” was the overwhelming feeling that everything must go, and everyone must get stoned. And people did, just 50 feet from the side entrance of the Convention Center’s South Hall.

But the overall vibe was somewhere between mellow and joyful. Everywhere Henry Hemp went, people wanted a picture or autograph, or they just wanted to step outside and medicate with him.

“How many cops do you see surrounding this place?” Ellingson asked. “Oh wait, I don’t see any.” And he was right. There was security for the building but no added presence by the San Jose Police Department, or girls volleyball players for that matter, who had an event of their own in the same building.