Gov. Sandoval worried about recreational marijuana consumption lounges in Nevada

The Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval on Tuesday, September 12, said that he does not give the nod with the new opinion by the State of Nevada’s Legislative Council Bureau stating that nothing in state law that retrains local government units from opening recreational marijuana consumption lounges and consuming the cannabis at special events.

“I do not agree with the Legislative Council Bureau opinion and believe that statutory authority is necessary to establish local marijuana smoking shops,” Gov. Sandoval said. “I am concerned with these establishments popping up piecemeal throughout the state with differing rules and regulatory structure.”

The State of Nevada Governor also commended a failed law bill presented during the 2017 Nevada State Legislature that would have absolutely authorized for such recreational marijuana lounges to be supervised by local townships officials. Sandoval questioned Nevada State Senator Tick Segerblom’s need to submit the bill dating back in April 2017 should recreational marijuana consumption lounges were already granted by the Nevada.

“This basically says local governments can license these businesses if they want to,” Senator Segerblom said on Monday, September 11.

Sandoval called on Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt’s office to advise the Nevada Department of Taxation on statutorily preventing such lounges.

The Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt’s spokewoman Monica Moazez denoted all inquiries to the state’s Department of Taxation, whose did not answer to multiple calls and emails for comment earlier this week.

Ballot Question 2 back in last year’s election enables for the possession and consumption of up to one ounce of recreational marijuana flower or up to one-eighth the equivalent of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentrates and edibles by adults in the State of Nevada. But the language in the bill is obscure on recreational marijuana consumption regulations outside of a private residences.

Governor Sandoval, a Republican former federal judge, initially against the legalization of recreational marijuana voters approved in November but said he recognized the will of the public and propelled an early-sale program that commenced back in July instead of waiting another six months as scheduled to speed up collection of revenue from state cannabis taxes.

Sandoval added that he’s concerned about the legalization of marijuana consumption lounges might invite more federal examination of Nevada’s cannabis sales. Sandoval stressed out that he has yet read the Legislative Council Bureau’s viewpoint, but added that he would like the office of state’ attorney general to weigh in on the subject matter.

Furthermore, he said that an opinion from the Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau “doesn’t have any precedential value.”