Hey IrishDoc, I am in the same spot as you are. I got caught dealing weed a long time ago and plead no contest and it has caused me employment problems ever since then. I've passed all my drug tests but inevitably some nosy son of a bitch will run my name through the state courts web site and I ended up getting terminated. In fact I'm out of work now, but I'm working on building a grow room and getting more involved in this type of work. I cleared the Dept. of Health so now I can cultivate legally.
I know California has a law in place now that any cannabis crimes over 2 years old cannot be held against you in any way as far as consideration for employment goes. I agree with bluntmassa1 - even though I'd rather move somewhere warmer where the job market is better, New England is ahead of the rest of the country in this industry.
Rhode Island has three compassion centers that are supposed to open in the beginning of 2013. Rhode Island, Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, and Massachusetts all have a medical marijuana law (RI and ME have reciprocity - both states will honor each other's patient cards). Starting in April, both Massachusetts and Rhode Island will have a law in full effect declaring that first offenders will not be arrested for small amounts. So if the cops respond to a fight at a bar and some guy is out smoking on the back porch and the cops see him, the worst thing that he can get is a ticket now. I think this will put folks minds at ease a bit, and people won't be afraid of the threat of jail if they get caught smoking with friends and a cop happens to cross their path.
At the very least you could move to Eastern New England and become a patient, then you can grow legally and work on getting your felony expunged. I have til 2016 to wait til I'm eligible for expungement, until then I'm just going to learn how to grow.
Good luck
