Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
West Wendover is taking steps to have medical marijuana dispensed in the city while awaiting the Nevada Legislature to clear the way.
"The council is considering an ordinance authorizing medical marijuana, but it is not ready to consider recreational marijuana. A year from now that might be an option," West Wendover City Manager Chris Melville said.
The city is looking at legislative action that would allow West Wendover to request permits from the state for a medical marijuana dispensary. SB341 would allow such requests and also allow a city to impose fees and license taxes.
Another bill, SB487, would impose an excise tax on retail sales of marijuana, including for medical purposes, and outlines how the taxes would be distributed by a city or county.
Current law allows taxes on the wholesale sale of marijuana, but SB487 would allow an excise tax of 10 percent on retail sales.
"There is tax money generated from the sale. New legislation allows cities, the host entities, or counties to collect excise tax revenue," Melville said in a telephone interview.
The dispensary also would bring income into West Wendover from building costs and new jobs, he said.
A revenue source
Melville said a dispensary in West Wendover would likely be a branch of one already operating in the state.
When West Wendover decided to look at the sales, the council toured the Deep Roots Harvest facility in Mesquite and talked with city officials about the impact of a medical marijuana facility on the community.
"They were very open to us coming down," Melville said. "From seed to packaging, we were very impressed with the control and everything."
The city is looking at a facility like Mesquite's, but the revenue wouldn't be as high.
Mesquite has more retired people living in its community interested in medical marijuana, for example, and the city brings in roughly $180,000 a year from licensing and taxing, he said. West Wendover's revenue might be closer to $100,000 to start.
No local dispensaries
West Wendover was the only area of Elko County that favored legal marijuana in past voting.
Elko County Manager Rob stokes said commissioners passed an ordinance in 2014 that wouldn't allow marijuana dispensaries in the unincorporated areas of the county, but "any cities could still look at it." With the legality of recreational marijuana, the state gave each rural county two licenses.
The county hasn't done anything yet, because "we felt there are enough issues still up in the air," Stokes said.
A number of people have asked about obtaining licenses for marijuana sales, but Stokes said he tells them only the Nevada Department of Taxation grants them for recreational sales, and the state Department of Health and Human Services issues the licenses for medicinal sales.
Anyone purchasing medical marijuana must have a doctor's card, and that doctor must be a Nevada physician.
Melville said people in the area now travel to Mesquite or to Reno-Sparks to buy marijuana with a doctor's card.
West Wendover's proposed ordinance would allow only one dispensary.
"The ordinance is not yet final. The timeline is mid-July for adoption with August as the effective date," Melville said.
If legislators fail to approve bills allowing the city a licensing avenue, the dispensary would be delayed, however, he said.
With less than two weeks left in the session, the Nevada Legislature hadn't taken final action on either bill by mid-day Tuesday.
Passage of SB341 could open the door for recreational pot sales in West Wendover.
"It would allow cities to opt to put medical marijuana in, and once they have medical marijuana, then they can easily go to recreational marijuana," state Sen. Pete Goicoechea, R–Eureka, said Tuesday.
"So far it hasn't moved forward," he said.
State tax authorities on May 15 approved temporary regulations allowing licensed medicinal dispensaries to begin adult-use recreation sales July 1.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: West Wendover eyes medical marijuana dispensary | Local | elkodaily.com
Author: ADELLA HARDING
Contact: Contact the Elko Daily Free Press | elkodaily.com
Photo Credit: Associated Press
Website: elkodaily.com
"The council is considering an ordinance authorizing medical marijuana, but it is not ready to consider recreational marijuana. A year from now that might be an option," West Wendover City Manager Chris Melville said.
The city is looking at legislative action that would allow West Wendover to request permits from the state for a medical marijuana dispensary. SB341 would allow such requests and also allow a city to impose fees and license taxes.
Another bill, SB487, would impose an excise tax on retail sales of marijuana, including for medical purposes, and outlines how the taxes would be distributed by a city or county.
Current law allows taxes on the wholesale sale of marijuana, but SB487 would allow an excise tax of 10 percent on retail sales.
"There is tax money generated from the sale. New legislation allows cities, the host entities, or counties to collect excise tax revenue," Melville said in a telephone interview.
The dispensary also would bring income into West Wendover from building costs and new jobs, he said.
A revenue source
Melville said a dispensary in West Wendover would likely be a branch of one already operating in the state.
When West Wendover decided to look at the sales, the council toured the Deep Roots Harvest facility in Mesquite and talked with city officials about the impact of a medical marijuana facility on the community.
"They were very open to us coming down," Melville said. "From seed to packaging, we were very impressed with the control and everything."
The city is looking at a facility like Mesquite's, but the revenue wouldn't be as high.
Mesquite has more retired people living in its community interested in medical marijuana, for example, and the city brings in roughly $180,000 a year from licensing and taxing, he said. West Wendover's revenue might be closer to $100,000 to start.
No local dispensaries
West Wendover was the only area of Elko County that favored legal marijuana in past voting.
Elko County Manager Rob stokes said commissioners passed an ordinance in 2014 that wouldn't allow marijuana dispensaries in the unincorporated areas of the county, but "any cities could still look at it." With the legality of recreational marijuana, the state gave each rural county two licenses.
The county hasn't done anything yet, because "we felt there are enough issues still up in the air," Stokes said.
A number of people have asked about obtaining licenses for marijuana sales, but Stokes said he tells them only the Nevada Department of Taxation grants them for recreational sales, and the state Department of Health and Human Services issues the licenses for medicinal sales.
Anyone purchasing medical marijuana must have a doctor's card, and that doctor must be a Nevada physician.
Melville said people in the area now travel to Mesquite or to Reno-Sparks to buy marijuana with a doctor's card.
West Wendover's proposed ordinance would allow only one dispensary.
"The ordinance is not yet final. The timeline is mid-July for adoption with August as the effective date," Melville said.
If legislators fail to approve bills allowing the city a licensing avenue, the dispensary would be delayed, however, he said.
With less than two weeks left in the session, the Nevada Legislature hadn't taken final action on either bill by mid-day Tuesday.
Passage of SB341 could open the door for recreational pot sales in West Wendover.
"It would allow cities to opt to put medical marijuana in, and once they have medical marijuana, then they can easily go to recreational marijuana," state Sen. Pete Goicoechea, R–Eureka, said Tuesday.
"So far it hasn't moved forward," he said.
State tax authorities on May 15 approved temporary regulations allowing licensed medicinal dispensaries to begin adult-use recreation sales July 1.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: West Wendover eyes medical marijuana dispensary | Local | elkodaily.com
Author: ADELLA HARDING
Contact: Contact the Elko Daily Free Press | elkodaily.com
Photo Credit: Associated Press
Website: elkodaily.com
