Marijuana Delivery: 8 Lessons from HempCon

This is the competition.

HempCon 2011 came to the L.A. Convention Center this weekend, and with it Rasta hats, glass pipes, bong coasters, vintage posters and 420-friendly onlookers.

Experts took turns dispensing advice on the side stage, and we caught the "Marijuana Delivery 101" talk by Robert Calkin, a former teacher at Oaksterdam University who's the author of, appropriately enough, Starting Your Own Medical Marijuana Delivery Service.

Here are some tips for would-be entrepreneurs:

1. Become a patient so you can get the marijuana legally.

2. A doctor's recommendation is legal enough, but they don't always look the most official, so a plastic card from the California Department of Health Services will help persuade the cops you're allowed to carry weed.

3. Patients can carry up to 8 ounces, but you should never travel with more than you're willing to lose.

4. Form a mutual-benefit non-profit corporation for tax and legal purposes.