Las Vegas city leaders exploring ordinance to allow pot lounges
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Las Vegas City leaders are considering a proposed ordinance which would allow pot consumption lounges to open up shop within city limits.
While marijuana is legal in Nevada, public use of the drug is outlawed. The only legal place adults can use pot is in the privacy of their own home – but for millions of visitors who come to Las Vegas, there aren’t many options for legal use.
“We’re not going back to the past, we’re going forward to the future and regulating cannabis helps make sure that we protect consumers,” said cannabis advocate and entrepreneur Jason Sturtsman, who hopes to open up a cannabis consumption lounge with proper approvals.
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The city council is in the early stages of considering the proposed ordinance that would allow pot lounges to open up – but it would only allow it in certain locations and with very strict rules.
“They’re going to be in a safe place consuming cannabis,” said Sturtsman.
However, Governor Brian Sandoval isn’t a fan of the proposal.
“That’s something that I opposed,” said Sandoval in a recent interview with News 3.
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Earlier this year, Sandoval killed a bill that would have regulated pot lounges, effectively leaving it up to cities and counties whether they want to allow them.
“I don’t think it’s something we should be doing that will likely be an issue that comes up in the 2019 in the Legislature,” said Sandoval.
Meanwhile, there are still several concerns city leaders need to hash out before a vote can be considered.
“They want to make sure that Black Market cannabis that’s coming from California is not going to be taken into these consumption lounges,” said Sturtsman. "They also want to make sure that there are no illegal sales happening in consumption lounges because these consumption lounges are not allowed to sell cannabis.”
The city council could consider a vote on the issue as early as March 2018.
