Nevada: Cannabis Consumption Lounge Regulations Approved, Licensing to Start in the Fall

In 2021, Nevada state lawmakers passed a bill legalizing cannabis consumption establishments, also known as lounges, under two categories of licensing: one for “retail cannabis consumption lounges,” under which existing retailers will be able to sell products to be consumed on-site, and another for “independent cannabis consumption lounges” that will open as standalone lounges and sell single-serving and ready-to-consume products. 

Yesterday, the NV Cannabis Compliance Board (CCB) voted unanimously to approve regulations for the licensing and operation of cannabis consumption lounges. Regulators said they expect to open the first round of licensing for consumption lounges this fall, with the first lounges opening as soon as the end of the year.

“Such private spaces would be ideal for visiting tourists and others (such as those tenants who rent in buildings where cannabis use is not permitted), and ideally would reduce the likelihood of adults consuming cannabis in non-designated public spaces. It is also consistent with regulations that permit the consumption of alcohol at appropriately licensed establishments,” says Jax James, NORML’s State Policy Manager. 

California, Connecticut, and New York have allowances for social consumption. Tyler Klimas, Executive Director of Nevada’s Cannabis Control Board, told The Nevada Independent that he believes the state’s new rules are the most robust. Nevada’s lounges, he noted, will operate more like bars by selling single-use products rather than requiring customers to bring their own cannabis.

Additionally, Governor Sisolak tweeted his support, saying, “In Nevada, we’ve prioritized innovative policies to expand the cannabis industry while protecting Nevadans AND diversifying our economy.”