Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Lawmaker says marijuana dispensaries could be open in a year, if bill passes

CARSON CITY — Medical marijuana dispensaries could be open in Nevada in a year if a bill to allow them passes the Legislature this session, a lawmaker pushing the measure said.

Most members of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday voiced support for the bill, which has been amended to permit private businesses to run the clinics rather than nonprofit groups. The bill would allow one dispensary for every ten pharmacies.

Medical marijuana is legal in Nevada, but state law does not permit dispensaries to distribute it.

Sen. Tick Segerblom. D-Las Vegas, sponsor of the bill, said he hopes the first clinics in Nevada could be operating in a year. Segerblom, chairman of the committee, said it must vote by mid-April.

Segerblom said there are 3,500 registered medical marijuana users now, but he envisions that number growing to 35,000.

The purchase price for marijuana would be $10 an ounce. A person would be limited to 2 ounces of prescribed marijuana in any 14 day period.

There were questions about whether people with medical marijuana cards from other states would be recognized in Nevada and how the dispensaries would obtain their marijuana. Those issues will be addressed in amendments before the bill is voted on.

Metro Police representative Chuck Callaway asked the committee to include stiffer penalties for those who illegally sell and use marijuana.

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