State won’t place cap on medical marijuana cultivation

By Cy Ryan

Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2014 | 9:45 p.m.

Despite some concerns by law enforcement, the state is not going to limit the amount of medical marijuana that can be grown in Nevada.

About 150 people in Las Vegas and Carson City attended a video public hearing on whether the state should restrict the number of medical marijuana cultivators.

Chad Westom, chief of the state’s medical marijuana program, opened the meeting by saying his agency has no intention of limiting the cultivation. He said a consultant to the state estimated that 650,000 to 1 million square feet would be needed to meet the supply of marijuana patients and visitors.

But the cultivation demands of applicants exceed that square footage by two to three times.

Allowing unlimited growth will drive down the price of the drug to the consumer and it will curtail any black market activity, said those who favor no limit.

But Chuck Callaway, director of Metro Police's Office of Intergovernmental Services, urged caution in issuing permits to growers. He said police have limited resources to oversee unrestricted expansion.

He suggested a limit on licenses for growers initially. That would be easier than to cut back later if the supply is excessive. He was joined by a representative of the Nevada Sheriffs’ Association.

Sen. Tick Segerblom, D-Las Vegas, the father of the medical marijuana law, applauded the state’s decision not to place any limit. He said it was too early to decide that issue, which could be considered at the 2015 Legislature.

The state received 182 applications for licenses to grow marijuana, with 124 of them coming from Clark County.

Joey Gilbert, a Reno lawyer representing marijuana applicants, said medical marijuana is a medicine and there should not be a limit that might affect patients. And he said Nevada could become a destination for tourists with medical marijuana cards.

In January, there were 4,963 people in Nevada with medical marijuana cards. In August, that number has grown to 6,464, with 4,667 living in Clark County.

The state agency is to announce in November who will get licenses to grow, produce, inspect and dispense medical marijuana.