Mark Robison

mrobison@rgj.com

Nevada voters have approved Question 2. So, when can you start smoking (or eating, drinking or vaping) marijuana? When will stores start selling recreational pot in Reno?

We connected with Joe Brezny, spokesman for the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, to learn the answer to these and other questions that those looking forward to legalized recreational marijuana may want to know.

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RGJ: When do you expect recreational marijuana to first become available for legal purchase in Nevada? In Washoe County?

JB: Most of the regulatory issues have been addressed with medical marijuana, so I would expect to have the application process completed in 6 to 9 months, even though they have a year to complete them. You could see the first retail marijuana sales in late summer or fall of 2017 at earliest, and early 2018 at latest.

RGJ: Is passage of Q2 expected to drive down prices or have no effect?

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JB: In Colorado, prices fell considerably. They started off slightly higher than the black market - around $400 per ounce, when the black market was running $300 to $350 per ounce. A few years later, and $125 ounces are common, with $99 specials. It drops the price of marijuana so steeply that cartels can no longer make money selling it. We expect the same pattern in Nevada.

RGJ: If Q2 passes, marijuana becomes legal Jan. 1, correct? So if I’m in possession of a joint or other marijuana product starting New Year’s Day, does that mean I can legally possess it even though there will not yet be an establishment from which I can buy recreational pot in Nevada?

JB: Yes. They ran into a similar situation in Oregon and allowed medical marijuana stores to sell retail marijuana flower only as part of an early release program. The Nevada Legislature could follow the same pattern.

RGJ: What’s the age limit?

JB: 21 and over.

RGJ: Is there a good rule of thumb for knowing if I’m too impaired by marijuana to drive?

JB: Smoke in the privacy of your own home, and wait at least 4 hours before driving anywhere.

RGJ: I will be able to legally possess 1 ounce recreationally, correct? Can I possess more if I have a medical marijuana card?

JB: 1 ounce for adult retail purchases, 2.5 ounce limit for medical marijuana patients.

RGJ: If California passes its recreational marijuana ballot initiative, will I be able to buy product for personal use from Humboldt County and other Northern California locations known for their high quality marijuana or will I be limited to buying from Nevada establishments?

JB: All marijuana must be cultivated, sold, and consumed within the State of Nevada. No transport across state lines is permissible under any circumstances. If this passes in California, you would have to consume anything you purchased in California while still in California and could not legally transport it back to Nevada, or vice versa.

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RGJ: Can my employer still fire me for marijuana use even if it’s legal?

JB: Yes. Employer protections are specifically written into Question 2. An employer can fire you for testing positive for alcohol, even though that is legal to consume. They have the same rights with marijuana.

RGJ: My understanding is that I cannot grow my own if I live within 25 miles of a marijuana establishment. Is there a current map of marijuana establishments to help me know if I can grow my own?

JB: I don’t know of a map that is available to the general public. I know that the health division approves all grows, so they have a way of determining who is and who is not within that 25-mile halo.

RGJ: If I grow less than 1 ounce, can I grow my own even if I’m within 25 miles of a marijuana establishment?

JB: Not for [non-medical marijuana] customers. Medical marijuana patients can get a waiver within 25 miles to grow a specific strain if it is not available at any local stores.

RGJ: If Q2 passes, how will current medical marijuana users in Nevada be affected?

JB: Not at all. This doesn’t change one word of their NRS chapter or regulations. A Nevada patient today will have all of the same rights on Nov. 9, pass or fail.