Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt issued two opinions this week to Richard Whitley, Director of the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the medical cannabis program in the state. The first recommended against permitting dispensaries to accept a completed application to the state, while the second would bar the practice of accepting physician recommendations from California visitors. Instead, in order to access dispensaries, patients would need to have a state-issued card.
The first ruling slows the process and is against the best interests of patients in need, but the tighter requirements for California residents trying to access medical cannabis negatively impacts patients and could have a significant impact on the Nevada MMJ industry that may lose most of their business from California residents. While there are estimates that as many as 2mm California residents have physician recommendations, the state has issued fewer than 100K cards. The Las Vegas Sun interviewed David Goldwater of Inyo Fine Cannabis Dispensary and Andrew Jolley of The+Source, both of whom suggested the reduction of access would significantly impact their businesses.
Read Chris Kudialis’ “AG: Calif. doctor’s notes not valid at Nevada marijuana dispensaries”: https://lasvegassun.com/news/2016/jul/30/ag-calif-doctors-notes-not-valid-at-nevada-marijua/
