Most people involved with the cannabis industry are aware of the risks, especially in terms of legal status, but believe the potential rewards out-weigh them. Overall, there is a belief that cannabis will become a main-stream, but heavily regulated, product in the U.S. in the next 10 years, like alcohol and tobacco. Large food and beverage companies are eying the market and positioning themselves to be ready to move once the federal threat is removed. In the meantime, because processing, packaging and retail must be state-specific, suppliers to the cannabis industry must have local teams that understand the regulations and peculiarities of each market. Cannabis manufacturers are actively looking for equipment and technology OEMs to aid them with implementing new processes and technologies, especially in automation. Many opportunities exist to form strong and lasting relationships with these manufacturers – especially for the OEMs that offer technical guidance and are willing to take on a bit of risk.