As more states continue to legalize recreational marijuana, people are planning trips and locals are visiting dispensaries trying to find their favorite cannabis consumables. But in Las Vegas, pot tourists and residents of Nevada are quickly learning that recreational cannabis isn’t as readily available as they would have hoped, and things are looking a bit cashed out for Nevada and Marijuana.
The idea of walking down the strip and enjoying a cocktail has given Las Vegas an enticing allure for years. The introduction of legal cannabis is no different. The problem is that smoking anything in Sin City…. is…banned. That begs the question ‘is weed legal in Las Vegas?’
The Legalizing of Weed in Las Vegas – What you Need to Know About
The recreational sale of pot was legalized as of July 1st in Nevada, but tourists and locals have almost nowhere to smoke without breaking the rules the city has put into place. All forms of cannabis consumption are banned at the casinos and hotels, it’s illegal to smoke outside on the streets or at local parks and you cannot smoke cannabis as a passenger in a moving car. That doesn’t leave any options for tourists and local residents are confined to toking in their private homes.
The legalization of recreational marijuana across a handful of states is heavily regulated on a state-by-state and city-by-city basis. This leaves the smoker tasked with doing the research needed to avoid breaking any laws. If a tourist doesn’t understand where and how they can enjoy their weed, they are less likely to visit those states, which ultimately has a negative effect on pot tourism and sales.
While marijuana consumption in Nevada is currently working out the kinks, they are not alone. Even legal public consumption in Colorado is continuing to develop three and half years after its legalization.
Finding a Place to Smoke Legal Weed in Las Vegas Doesn’t Necessarily Solve the Problem
OK, you’ve found a legal place to smoke, now the hard part is over, right? Not so fast. Due to the increased demand from pot tourists and Vegas locals, the recreational dispensaries that have opened are running out of their products. What’s left of the legal weed in Las Vegas is less desirable. While recreational dispensaries will start to understand demand and inventory, those customers shopping now may not have the best experience with what’s available in cannabis strains. The last thing the city needs is to legalize marijuana, but have buyers quickly losing interest due to low-quality products.
Looking to the Future – Nevada and Marijuana
Business owners and even pro-pot politicians are hoping to provide a slew of legal cannabis lounges where out-of-town visitors and locals can enjoy cannabis outside of their homes. There are visions of gaming lounges, high-end air filtration systems and highly desired bachelor/bachelorette party destinations.
While any sort of on-site consumption, where visitors can buy and smoke on site, is probably years away, standalone lounges are likely to pop up in the near future. Afterall, it’s Las Vegas. If any city can figure out how to make it work, they certainly can. In the meantime, if you’re looking to plan a vacation around legal marijuana, check out this pot vacation guide.
