With 1-in-5 Americans now living in a state that will have some form of legalized marijuana, all eyes are on President-elect Donald Trump and the federal government to see what action if any will be taken to address the issue that's thrust many states into a legal quagmire.
On the presidential campaign trail, Trump is on record saying cannabis is a state issue and should not in the hands of the federal government to decide whether it's legal.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who is leading Trump’s White House transition team, was adamant while he was seeking the Republican presidential nomination that he would seek to enforce federal pot laws.
But marijuana is still considered as a Schedule 1 drug and illegal in the eyes of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, despite ten states now legalizing medicinal or recreational pot. That list includes California, the country's most populous state and one with heavy influence in Congress.
"The number of congressional seats (California) brings Washington, DC, is a major point people are missing," said Kelly Ogilvie, CEO of Washington-based DeepCell. Ogilvie is behind Ruby Cannabis Sugar, a product that is becoming more popular as a way to infuse edibles with marijuana.
"We think the federal prohibition is untenable when markets as big as California exist without federal regulation. They're going to have to address it," he said.
Ruby Cannabis Sugar is in 75 retail stores in Washington state, and Ogilvie has licensing agreements in California for the technology and recipe.
Like many others, he is excited to see the industry expand into other states.
"This is the moment everyone in the industry has been waiting for," Ogilvie said.
