You might call it a conference focused on 'higher' education.

At the Cannabis Hemp Conference and Expo (CHCE), a two-day event which began yesterday and will be underway until 8 p.m. this evening, hundreds have gathered to engage in important dialogue about cannabis and its various applications for improving overall health and wellness.

Between keynote speeches from author Graham Hancock, educator Chris Kilham, Dr. Ethan Russo, and hemp expert Anndrea Herman, cooking classes with Mary Jean "Watermleon" Dunsdon, make-your-own topical workshops, and a variety of panels detailing everything from activism to patient care, the sheer number of specialists at the CHCE easily makes it one of Canada's most comprehensive cannabis-oriented conferences. 

While some attended to learn more about the plant's medicinal applications, others were able to network with industry members about business practices, while more still learned quickly that using cannabis doesn't necessarily mean getting high: CBD-only products including oils, topicals, tinctures and capsules had a massive presence at the expo, and in speeches and panel discussions.

Despite ongoing frustrations with regard to cannabis prohibition, attendees, speakers, and vendors were in good spirits, and the feeling at the conference was one of excitement and hope for the future. (Perhaps you could contribute that to the free samples, but we're giving everyone the benefit of the doubt.)

If you couldn't make it to the conference, take a look at the images below to get an idea of how broad the range of topics, products, and speakers was, and stay tuned for follow-up stories.