In the 10 months since I was laid off, I've applied for or have seen job openings that were a little wacky or pushed my limits for employment -- helping a convicted killer get publicity for his book, working for the U.S. military as an editor...in Iraq.

But pushing marijuana, at least in the Nevada desert, is in another league entirely.

While I have nothing against smoking marijuana, and could see myself working for the Marijuana Policy Project as communications director in Las Vegas, it's a job I don't plan on applying for. So, I throw it out there for other job seekers to consider. For me, it's moving to the desert of Las Vegas that throws me off.

The group has a video on taxing and regulating marijuana:





In fact, I think it would be an interesting job helping MPP, the nation's largest marijuana policy reform organization, working to pass a statewide ballot that would tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol in Nevada. I don't think the country is ready for such reform yet, but I wish them luck.

But as a native Californian, what really interests me in this job position is the unspoken race between Nevada and California to legalize pot. As a Californian, I want my state to win and be the first to legalize it, as a state assemblyman has attempted in proposing a bill that would legalize it in California and raise an estimated $1.3 billion a year by taxing it.

The Nevada Senate is considering a bill to increase criminal penalties for growing marijuana, so it seems that MPP has an uphill battle. Several states are considering medical marijuana bills. California has had such a law since 1996, although federal officials say it's illegal because it contradicts federal law. There are some signs that this may change under the Obama administration.

Las Vegas is a great place to visit, and I expect it would be a great place to work for awhile. But the heat? That's too much to handle.

Aaron Crowe is an unemployed journalist in the San Francisco Bay Area. Read about his job search at www.AaronCrowe.net