Nevada Legislators Go on Fact-Finding Tour of Oregon Dispensaries

On November 29, Nevada Senator Tick Segerblom took a trip to Oregon to research its recreational marijuana industry. Segerblom and four other Nevada legislators went to Portland dispensaries and met with the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC). The premise of the trip was to use Oregon as an example to help set regulations for Nevada’s new recreational marijuana industry.

The licensing fees in Nevada are set, according to Las Vegas Sun.  An application fee of $5,000 must be paid to the state. Local licenses will cost $10,000 to $20,000 each but are a one-time fee, with some restrictions. Renewing licensing annually will cost between $3,300 and $10,000 for local license renewals.

Segerblom said, “I’ve realized how good we’ve got it in Nevada. I think this is going to be a smooth transition.”

In comparison, Oregon’s fees are much lower at $250 for state applications and between $1,000 and $4,750 for local licenses. The cost to renew licenses in Oregon is $250 annually.

Segerblom was advised by Pi-Ta Pitt, of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, to establish an incentive-based revenue sharing program for counties. Pitt said, “I think the incentives are set up here so that counties are encouraged to participate. Put something strong enough on the table and all of a sudden they have a vote and they’re back in.”

Recreational marijuana legislation takes effect in Nevada on January 1. Segerblom has announced plans to submit a bill to allow medical marijuana dispensaries to sell recreational marijuana for a temporary amount of time as recreational retail shops won’t be available until January 1, 2018.

Nevada will be attempting to instill a program that prevents excess marijuana from flowing into black markets.

Senator David Parks said, “You can already buy way more marijuana that you’ll need for an illness, unless you want to be stoned all the time. There’s a lot of extra weed there.”