Nearly half of the citizens in the United States admit that they have tried marijuana at some point in their lives, and more than half of the population thinks that marijuana should be legalized. With that many people speaking positively of marijuana and its benefits, it only makes sense that the cannabis business has become an item of interest for many entrepreneurs.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), there are 23 states that currently allow the use of medical marijuana. Due to the legalization of medical marijuana in these states, it has become a common trend to want to start a medical marijuana business. This doesn’t entail growing cannabis to sell to friends or people without a license to use marijuana though. Like creating any business, it’s a long process that now requires extra licenses and permissions from the government. The idea to start a medical marijuana business is not something to take lightly, because it involves working with the government and medical centers across the country.

Medical marijuana marketing works just about the same way as any normal kind of marketing would work, it’s simply a matter of branding the product to the right group of people in the right way. This means no jokes, since primary buyers will be medical facilities and patients. In 2014, medical marijuana operations in Colorado created nearly 10,000 jobs for citizens, and the sales of retail marijuana amounted to nearly $19 million in state taxes. It would seem that starting a medical marijuana business, as well as the medical marijuana industry in general, has been an economic boost in the places where it’s been legalized.

In five years, it is estimated that the medical marijuana market will be worth over $10 billion. With marijuana investment opportunities on the rise in the United States, starting a medical marijuana business may be as good for the economy as it is for the patients using it. Don’t knock the marijuana industry before thoroughly researching it; there could be a business opportunity waiting for you in the future!