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Marijuana in Montana isn't just for legal medicinal or unlawful recreational purposes - it's also a booming business. That message was loud and clear among caregivers and others who attended the Medical Marijuana Growers Association gathering in Helena this week.

Although there are no hard numbers attached to the amount of money the medical marijuana industry in Montana is creating, it's evident that new businesses are springing up to capture some of those dollars.

Medical marijuana growing operations are becoming more commonplace, including one large-scale operation just outside Helena; they're not open to the general public, and are clearly marked with no-trespassing signs, high fences, and gates - a clear sign that the plants inside are worth their weight in gold.

While medical marijuana caregivers can only grow a certain number of plants per patient, it's said the cost to grow those plants is expensive.

Jim Gingery, executive director of the MT Medical Marijuana Growers Association, noted, "It's calculated that it costs about $600 for every new patient that a caregiver takes on. So when everybody talks about caregivers getting rich, they need to look at the financial reality of it."

In the meantime, entrepreneurs are catching hold of the new industry and taking advantage.

Gingery continued, "I think at this point it's lucrative for the people that supply the caregivers, more than the caregivers themselves." Gingery added, "There's now insurance available, including crop insurance, and cardholders can now pay for their supplies with a credit card."

Which is exactly what brought Robin Braun of Advo Bank in Colorado to the meeting in Helena; Braun explained, "Credit card acceptance has become a more dominant form of payment in Colorado, so we are coming here to Montana to offer that and get these businesses set up properly."

Most cardholders aren't too concerned about who grows their supply, or how it's regulated, as long as it's affordable and available for use.

So, regulated or not, one thing is certain - those who got in on the ground floor of this business are reaping the benefits while they can.