This post was updated Nov. 5 at 10:37 p.m.

Former Cannaclub at UCLA President Hannah Cass said the comparison between the state of the club during the pandemic and hosting its first convention Thursday is stark.

“It blows my mind,” Cass said.

Cass, a 2022 psychology alumnus who served as the club’s president for two years, said she attended CannaclubCon as an account manager for a cannabis brand, adding that it was inspiring to see the club host a convention on a public university’s property.

“When I was in school, it was during COVID, so we did something like this, but it was virtual,” she said. “Just seeing the community come out here, … it’s beautiful.”

Cannaclub at UCLA – a student-led club focused on cannabis education, advocacy and opportunities – held its first annual convention Thursday in the Ackerman Grand Ballroom. Around 150 attendees, including students and community members, gathered from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to listen to speakers, panels and presentations on cannabis-related topics. Attendees also had the opportunity to stop by 25 various booths advertising cannabis brands, wellness organizations and other campus clubs such as End Overdose at UCLA, as well as a jewelry brand and a henna tattoo booth.

In preparation for the event, Cannaclub at UCLA arranged contracts with their speakers and booths, said Amanda Pate, one of the convention’s organizers and a jobs and sponsorship outreach lead for the club. Instead of promoting the use of cannabis, CannaclubCon prohibited the use or display of cannabis on Associated Students UCLA property, instead focusing on wellness, the science behind cannabis and cannabis content creation for the bulk of the event, Pate said.

Papa & Barkley – a cannabis wellness brand – held the first featured presentation. Co-founder and speaker Guy Rocourt said the opportunity to speak at a convention catered to students will help educate on and destigmatize the use of cannabis.

“I didn’t see it coming, but as we emerged into legalization, more misinformation surfaced,” Rocourt said. “Being able to speak to young students, give them the science, encourage them to follow the science, it’s super important.”

Rocourt added that he hoped students would reframe the conversation around cannabis and how the federal government views the drug after leaving the convention.

After Rocourt’s presentation on wellness, Cannaclub at UCLA hosted other presentations from experts on the science behind the flower, the smokable part of the cannabis plant, and a panel on solventless cannabis, which is cannabis produced for consumption without the use of chemical solvent.

Pate, who is also a fourth-year sociology and statistics student, said one of the most important parts of planning the convention was selecting speakers who currently make large impacts in the cannabis industry.

“What goes into choosing people is making sure that not only are they doing big things in the industry, but we want to make sure that those morals and values align with us,” Pate said. “You can make all the money in the world in this industry, but what are you doing it for?”

Students who attended the event said they felt a sense of community at the convention.

Sida Sheik, a third-year statistics and data science student, said she enjoyed the presentation on the diverse media representation of cannabis, adding that the conversation behind cannabis use in Los Angeles was different from her experience growing up in Oklahoma.

“It was always seen as a very scary thing to me,” Sheik said. “But coming to LA, … everyone’s just wanting to spread the goodness, if that makes sense. I just always feel like people in these kinds of events have such a beautiful mindset.”

Sheik said she would not have had the opportunity to attend an event like CannaclubCon if she didn’t attend UCLA, adding that the university allows for people from all walks of life to participate in the campus community.

Pate said she hoped students understood that Cannaclub is an opportunity to break out of imposter syndrome and find a place on campus for anyone interested in cannabis or just learning about the science behind the plant.

“It’s not even a pond; it’s an ocean,” Pate said. “We want you to know that you’re welcome, and we want you to know that this place is held for you.”

As of 2023, 23 states have legalized recreational cannabis, including California. However, the drug is still illegal federally and in several states.

Cass said she hopes that attendees leave the event thinking there is a future for cannabis in the country.

“The fact that it is still federally illegal is insane to me when there are this many smart, like-minded people that feel the same way,” Cass said. “(I’m) just hoping that everyone takes away from this the desire and like a passion and the fire to change.”