Nevada Senator to Introduce Bill Allowing Legal Recreational Cannabis Sales to Begin Right Away
Nevada State Senator Tick Segerblom (D-Las Vegas) has announced that he’s drafting legislation that would allow medical cannabis dispensaries to begin immediately selling cannabis to everyone 21 and older, until licensed cannabis retail outlets are operating throughout the state (likely sometime in 2018).
Oregon lawmakers approved a similar law after voters passed legalization in 2014; the move garnering the state millions in taxes.
“They allowed the existing medical dispensaries to sell recreational marijuana and as far as we could tell, there’s no reason we couldn’t do that in Nevada,” Segerblom told CBS affiliate KLAS-TV.
Segerblom says allowing sales now will help combat the black market. It will also allow the state to begin collecting cannabis taxes right away. He notes that Oregon is on track to garner $43 million in taxes from cannabis sales in 2016 alone.
“I think, given our tourist economy, we could double that, so we’re looking at close to $100 million in just taxes,” Segerblom said.
Segerblom says he will introduce the measure when the legislature reconvenes in February.
Parts of Question 2, approved by voters in November 8th, takes effect on January 1st. At this point those 21 and older will be allowed to legally possess up to an ounce of cannabis. Cannabis retail outlets will be open sometime in 2018.