Cannabis Lounges Proposed in Nevada

A bill to allow cannabis consumption lounges was proposed last week in Nevada, according to an 8 News Now report.

Introduced by Assemblyman Steve Yeager, Assembly Bill 341 would open the door for social use cannabis lounges across the state. The bill seeks to provide a solution to a problem that consistently vexes legal cannabis states — like many other jurisdictions, Nevada allows adults to purchase cannabis products but consuming them must be done on private property, out of public view. This is a big issue for tourist destinations like Las Vegas where visitors may buy cannabis, but then have problems finding a legal place to consume their purchase.

“The time’s just right, and the momentum is right. We have the Cannabis Compliance Board now, which is the regulatory agency for the cannabis industry. I think they’re going to have a large role to play in helping us make this happen.” — Assemblyman Yeager, via 8 News Now

If passed, localities would be allowed to opt-out of licensing any social use businesses.

David Farris, VP of Marketing and Sales for Planet 13 — which is billed as the world’s largest dispensary and is located near the Las Vegas Strip — said Las Vegas has been asking for social use cannabis lounges for “a long time.”

“We think it’s something that’s necessary in Las Vegas,” he said. “I think it’s the right thing to do to allow our local and tourist customers to consume cannabis products.”

Assemblyman Yeager said the legislation can address public concerns — particularly those related to intoxicated drivers — like they do with alcohol.

“As we work through the legislation, we need to make sure that we do this responsibly,” he said in the report. “We have a good model when it comes to alcohol. We allow alcohol consumption in bars, clubs and restaurants, but people have been trained to be able to identify the signs of somebody who is partaking too much.”