First of all, if you haven't read reporter Leland Baxter-Neal's cover story this week about the economic impact of legalizing pot, go read it now. It has everything: helicopters, girls in Harry Potter outfits, nerdy graphs. Seriously.

The article coincides with the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws' (NORML) national conference, which is landing at the posh Governor Hotel today and includes speeches from, among others, Representative Earl Blumenauer (no surprise) and travel show host Rick Steves (what?!).

NORML sent out a checklist today outlining the rules of holding a pot convention at the Governor Hotel. Here is rule number one:

1. Marijuana is still illegal (unless you’re a registered medical cannabis patient)

The rest of the rules are pretty boring until you get to Rule #7 and its giddy talk of hemp beer:

7. The Rogue Brewing Company, in celebration of Portland’s hosting a national NORML conference, has set up a free brewery tour and shuttle bus during the entire conference—featuring a hempen ale made from hemp seeds.

And Rule #10, which makes up an annoying word:

10. Starting with the now mega huge Seattle Hempfest in 1991 the greater Northwest United States now plays host to several hempfests—large ‘protestivals’ where cannabis law supporters and consumers alike gather to both protest the status quo while at the same time being festive, celebrating cannabis culture.

All I can say is: Food carts on 10th and Alder are gonna be busy this weekend.