Nevada dealing with flood of applications for medical marijuana cards

CARSON CITY — The medical marijuana business is growing so fast that the state is having trouble keeping up with applications from patients seeking licenses.

Joseph Pollock, deputy administrator of the state Division of Public and Behavioral Health, told the Legislative Interim Finance Committee today there are 14,000 patients with state medical marijuana cards. He expects that number to grow to 60,000.

The state is receiving 300 applications a month.

The committee allowed the program to shift $464,000 in its budget to hire more contract workers.

Under the law, the state has 30 days to process applications. That time had slipped to 60 days, but has since been reduced to 21 days.

The application has to go through three agencies. The Department of Public Safety conducts a background check and the state Department of Motor Vehicles issues the card.

Patients pay $112.50 for a card to buy up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana every two weeks, with an annual renewal fee of $75.