The initiative sponsored by Nevadans for Sensible Marijuana Laws proposes to the voters of Nevada “An Initiative to Establish a Regulated Market for Marijuana.” This initiative seeks statutory changes to the Nevada Revised Statutes in order to establish a system to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol.

Click here to read the full text of the initiative.

Specifically, the Act would –

• Make the possession of marijuana paraphernalia and up to one ounce of marijuana legal for individuals 21 years of age and older.
• Prohibit the use of marijuana in public.
• Establish and/or maintain significant penalties for the distribution of marijuana – including both sales and transfer without remuneration – to people under the age of 21.
• Maintain existing penalties for driving under the influence of marijuana.
• Provide for legal sale of marijuana and marijuana paraphernalia only through retail stores specifically licensed by the state for this purpose. People under the age of 21 would not be allowed in these stores and on-premises consumption of marijuana would be prohibited.
• Provide for the licensing of suppliers that would be permitted to cultivate and distribute marijuana to retail stores. Retail stores would only be permitted to sell marijuana that originated from a state-licensed supplier, and suppliers would not be permitted to obtain marijuana from sources not licensed by the state.
• Establish guidelines for the licensing of suppliers and retail stores, including prohibitions on the granting of licenses to entities engaged in business as a gas station, convenience store, grocery store, night club, dance hall, or licensed gaming establishment or licensed to sell intoxicating liquor for consumption on or off the premises. In addition, suppliers and retail stores may not be located near the property line of a public school, private school, daycare center, or structure used primarily for religious services or worship.
• Direct the state to develop guidelines to regulate the marijuana industry, including minimum security requirements for suppliers and retail stores.
• Ensure that Nevada residents maintain at least a 50 percent ownership stake in any supplier or retail store.
• Allow counties to set reasonable regulations governing the operation of retail stores.
• Limit the total number of suppliers and retail stores operating in the state.
• Prevent any single entity from controlling the marijuana market by limiting any single supplier to producing no more than 10 percent of the total supply of marijuana in the state.
• Establish an excise tax of $50 per ounce on marijuana purchased by retail stores from suppliers. Standard retail sales taxes would apply to marijuana sold by retail stores. Taxes and fees collected under this act would go first to the cost of administering this system of regulation and then to the State General Fund.
• Ban advertising for marijuana.
• Ensure that any marijuana sold in the state is free of any additives or contaminants
• Allow employers to discipline employees who are under the influence of marijuana during work hours.
• Prohibit smoking marijuana when people under the age of 18 are present.