Tourists in the famed city of Las Vegas, Nevada faced a large dilemma when it came to legal consumption of cannabis in a state where it is legal to purchase it recreationally and medically. A bill to legalize cannabis lounges on a state level was defeated less than a month ago, but a recent city ordinance that passed with a 4-1 vote has effectively legalized cannabis lounges within dispensaries.
The future difficulty level for tourists and permanent residents to consume cannabis legally has dramatically decreased now that the Las Vegas City council voted and passed an ordinance that allows cannabis dispensaries to apply for a cannabis consumption lounge permit. Once approved, the permit gives the dispensary location the right to add a lounge for the sole purpose of cannabis consumption in an area that is considered safe and legally sound.
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Gaming corporations in Las Vegas might key into this potential loss of business as tourists and residents could dramatically shift away from the prospect of alcohol, gambling, and other forms of time spent in one of several casino hotels for a more relaxed state of mind in a cannabis lounge.
Tick Segerblom, Clark County Commissioner and former Nevada Senator, on the ability of cannabis lounges to hurt the profits of large casinos, stated: “We’re the new Amsterdam. They’re concerned about (lounges) making money outside the hotels. They’re worried the longer this goes outside hotels, the more established they’ll get. As a business person, I would be concerned too.”
As long as cannabis is a substance that the federal government classifies as illegal, casinos and casino hotels will not be able to partake in this new line of business and revenue stream. All casinos fall under federal jurisdiction and will all have to sit on the sidelines as an approximate 20 dispensaries will be able to apply for cannabis consumption lounges.
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