Nevada Sen. Tick Segerblom proposed new legislation on Friday that would roll out an early start for adult-use marijuana sales in the Silver State.
Sponsored by Nevada Assemblymen Yeager and Brooks, if passed and signed into law, SB 302 would immediately allow existing medical marijuana collectives/dispensaries to begin selling recreational marijuana to adults over the age of 21.
Nevada Senate Bill 302
Eliminating the need to present a state-issued medical marijuana card, Segerblom’s legislation would authorize “the sale of marijuana by certain establishments for purposes other than medical use for a limited period of time; imposing taxes; revising existing taxes for sales of marijuana for medical purposes; providing a penalty; and providing other matters properly relating thereto,” according to the bill.
Gov. Brian Sandoval is taking a slightly more cautious approach before allowing his state to rush into adult-use sales, according to The Las Vegas Review-Journal.
“The Governor does not support the sale of legal recreational marijuana to the public until after the Department of Taxation has thoroughly reviewed the issues associated with such sales and he is satisfied that they have been properly vetted by law enforcement and other interested parties.”
Sharing similar goals but different timelines, Sandoval’s Marijuana Task Force (MTF) is cultivating its own “temporary regulations” that would also permit Nevada’s medical marijuana dispensaries to sell recreational marijuana earlier than required.
With adult use marijuana sales mandated to begin no later than January 1, 2018, the governor’s MTF is projected to complete its due diligence and provide their recommendations by the end of May to Nevada’s Department of Taxation.
Deonne Contine, the director for the Department of Taxation, has made clear on several occasions, her goal is to ensure recreational marijuana be made available for residents and visitors alike no later than July 1 2017.
Granted a $900,000 loan from the Legislature’s Interim Finance Committee to expedite the implementation of recreational marijuana sales, the Department of Taxation, Gov. Sandoval and a group of enthusiastic senators have been working feverishly toward one common goal since last November – providing access to adult-use marijuana in Nevada, ASAP.
