of the Current Marijuana Business (Part I of II) In November of 2018, there are some 28,000 marijuana/cannabis businesses in operation, employing about 150,000 people in the U.S., and they manage and control some $9 billion in essentially cash revenues. This industry continues to grow. In this two-part article, the author provides a brief overview of the history of this industry and tax issues CPAs and consultants must know. In the second part of this series, the author illustrates the importance of choice of entity and provides an overview of the state laws governing possession, sales, and distribution of cannabis.