LAS VEGAS MADE HEADLINES TODAY IN THE CANNABIS WORLD!
The first city to approve of marijuana smoking lounges! More updates coming soon!
MJBIZDAILY – The Las Vegas City Council voted Wednesday to create a new business license and land-use regulations for marijuana social-use venues, a move that could open new business opportunities for entrepreneurs and increase revenue for licensed cannabis retailers.
In the program’s first 12 months, only existing owners of marijuana retail licenses can apply for a social-use permit where customers could consume cannabis products. After the first year, anyone is welcome to apply.
That means the first social-use venues could open this summer, he noted. David Riggleman, the director of communications for the city of Las Vegas, said the initial requirement for social-use business permits being granted to existing dispensaries will expedite the licensing process. That’s because those licensed retailers will already have been thoroughly vetted.
The rules also:
- Prohibit venue owners from selling, providing or distributing marijuana or marijuana products, such as flower, concentrates or infused products.
- Do not allow social-use venues to be located within 1,000 feet of any school or non-restricted gaming facilities, or 300 feet from city parks, churches or houses of worship, individual care or group home facilities, community recreation centers, or any facility that has a primary function of providing recreational opportunities to minors, including libraries, art galleries, museums and martial arts studios.
- Make an exception to the minimum separation requirements for existing dispensaries that are currently operating within those minimum separation requirements.
- Allow licensees to sell or provide marijuana paraphernalia, such as vaporizers or rolling papers.
- Require applicants to submit plans for security, employee training, air quality, fire safety, and odor control.
- Require licensees to pay a $5,000 annual fee.
Social-use venues could open in Sin City by summer
The Las Vegas City Council voted 4-1 to create a new business license and land-use regulations for marijuana social-use venues, where customers can consume cannabis products.
The move could open new business opportunities for entrepreneurs and increase revenue for licensed cannabis retailers – but some in Sin City’s marijuana industry have criticized an amendment that only allows existing owners of marijuana licenses to apply for a social-use permit during the program’s first 12 months.
MJBizDaily takeaway: Supporters of the bill acknowledge its flaws.
For example, it bars venue owners from selling, providing or distributing marijuana or MJ products, such as flower, concentrates or infused products, eliminating a lucrative source of revenue. It also prohibits the sale of alcohol at social-use venues.
Despite those limits, the rules are a step in the right direction, said social-use advocate Scot Rutledge of Argentum Partners, a Nevada government affairs and marketing firm.
The requirement for social-use venues to partner with dispensaries creates a profit model for these new businesses in lieu of alcohol sales, Rutledge said.
He also noted the venues can provide entertainment and sell food, nonalcoholic beverages and merchandise.
The 12-month pilot also gives the industry time to mitigate the risks of impaired driving and overconsumption – issues that could sink the program and the added business opportunities – before the applications become more widely available.
Rutledge reckons the first social-use venues could open this summer.
Source: MJBizDaily.com
LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Las Vegas City Council members voted in favor of pot lounges in the valley.
Members discussed establishing a business license category and land use regulations for venues to use marijuana during a City Council meeting on May 1.
Right now you can buy cannabis products almost anywhere in Las Vegas but once you walk out the dispensary door the only place to legally light up is at home. The ordinance passed is similar to lounges in San Francisco where people can buy and smoke weed but no alcohol is allowed. READ BILL NO. 2018-61
Mayor Carolyn Goodman abstained from the discussion to avoid conflict of interest because she says her son invests in marijuana businesses.
Councilman Stavros Anthony voted against the measure with members Cedric Crear, Michele Fiore, Bob Coffin and Lois Tarkanian voting in favor.
Also at the meeting, Goodman was sworn in for her third term after the original ceremony was pushed back last month due to health issues.
Earlier this year, Goodman announced she is battling cancer but says she is “completely healthy” and can continue to work effectively as the mayor during treatment. In April, she won a third and final term in office, matching her husband Oscar Goodman’s 12-year span running the city.
LAS VEGAS (FOX5) Las Vegas is the first Nevada city to approve marijuana consumption lounges.
The city council passed the ordinance Wednesday, allowing retail marijuana stores and dispensaries to apply for a special use permit to open a lounge.
Businesses with a permit could allow customers to buy and use marijuana on property. There are many restrictions. The city council decided a lounge has to be at least 1,000 feet away from casinos and schools. Lounges would have to have an air control plan to keep smoke from getting out.
Also a part of the ordinance: no smoking outside and no alcohol is permitted.
For the first year, the only businesses with access to this license are the 12 dispensaries in the city. Other interested businesses will have to wait at least a year, the city decided.
