For the first time giving a timeline, Las Vegas officials say they are waiting until 2019 before deciding whether to allow public cannabis consumption in venues such as lounges. The Clark County Commission plans to wait on public consumption issues until the state legislature meets in 2019. The commissioners’ hope is the legislature will pass a law allowing public consumption.
According to the Las Vegas Sun, the Clark County Commission and Las Vegas City Council have said they’ll continue to “take a wait-and-see approach.”
Originally the Council and Commission was considering the allowance of public consumption lounges this spring. But after AG Jeff Sessions rescinded key marijuana protections in January their plans were delayed.
Advocates have been pushing for public consumption lounges in Nevada since legal recreational marijuana sales began last July. Over 40 million tourists a year come to Nevada and current restrictions in hotels and casinos severely limit where those tourists can consume cannabis.
Denver recently broke ground on public consumption lounges when it approved a permit for cannabis consumption at a coffee shop. County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani said his group wants to monitor Denver’s social-use implementation before taking any action.