The "Yelp Of Weed": Leafly And Other Marijuana Startups Hope To Gain As Feds Ease Up On Pot

Ask investors about emerging trends in technology, and they might mention wearable devices, the connected home, mobile payments, even Bitcoin. But more often than not, they're glossing over cannabis, a multibillion–dollar industry that's only gaining momentum with varying degrees of legalization in 21 states and the District of Columbia.

It's not just growers and dispensaries that stand to make money off Americans hitting the bong. Startups are finding opportunities as more states loosen up their stance on marijuana. The industry scored a major victory when U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder declared in August that the Department of Justice wouldn't challenge laws passed in Washington and Colorado legalizing pot for adult use. But that doesn't mean the war on drugs is over. There's still a haze surrounding ganja: Growing, selling, and possession are considered illegal in the eyes of the federal government.

With shifting attitudes toward cannabis––a majority of Americans are now in favor of legalization––companies are looking to capitalize on the flowering pot industry, estimated to bring in $30 billion a year in the United States. In Canada, which recently launched a medical marijuana free market, the industry is expected to reach $1.3 billion in a decade.

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