Pubdate: Sun, 20 Apr 2014
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV)
Page: 1E
Copyright: 2014 Las Vegas Review-Journal
Contact: http://www.reviewjournal.com/about/print/press/letterstoeditor.html
Website: http://www.lvrj.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/233
Author: Howard Stutz

GAMING INDUSTRY WRESTLES WITH MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Like much of Nevada, the casino industry is grappling with issues
surrounding medical marijuana. So much so that gaming companies and
regulators have had little to say publicly about doctor-prescribed
pot.

Medical marijuana has been legal in Nevada since 2000, but it took
state lawmakers 14 years to allow dispensaries to operate. Now, with a
state law in place calling for up to 66 potential medical marijuana
outlets throughout Nevada, the issue is finding its way into gaming
headquarters.

No one has suggested Nevada casinos offer medical marijuana
dispensaries as part of their retail amenities. Online gaming has
fueled heated debate. Imagine the discussions around this issue?

The Gaming Control Board is developing a list of questions and
concerns when its comes to medical marijuana.

But those talks are nothing compared to the ongoing discussions inside
hotel-casino human resources departments and among the corporate
office general counsels.

The list of questions grows by the day. For gaming operations with
thousands of employees, there are issues surrounding new hires and
existing workers, many of whom with job descriptions that require drug
screenings.

For example, what to do with an employee who is prescribed medical
marijuana by a physician, and would fail a drug test by ingesting the
medicine?

And what about hotel-casino guests?

Is medical marijuana treated like any other prescription medication?
Would they violate state law by consuming the drug in their hotel room?

"This new and very complex issue brings difficult questions on many
fronts for us as Nevada's largest private employer," MGM Resorts
International Vice President of Public Affairs Gordon Absher said. The
company has 54,000 workers in its 17 Silver State hotel-casinos.

"Along with every other employer, we will continue to evaluate the
implications of the state law as we review our policies," Absher said.

Gaming regulators have already taken one stand.

Holders of privileged Nevada gaming licenses will be frowned upon if
they decide to invest in the business of medical marijuana, which many
proponents believe will have a lucrative return.

The problem? In the eyes of federal prosecutors, marijuana is still
viewed as an illegal narcotic.

Investment in a business that sells a product in Nevada - which could
land someone prison time in another state - doesn't interact well with
state gaming regulations.

For now, the Control Board is advising license holders to stay away
from medical marijuana. If you're thinking about applying for a Nevada
gaming license, it might not be a good idea to invest in pot.

"That would give us some cause for concern," Gaming Control Board
Chairman A.G. Burnett said. "We would be remiss if we didn't consider
that activity as part of the investigation. It's a gamble and you need
to think it through." Gaming is not alone. Banks and credit card
companies have avoided working with marijuana businesses for fear of
federal prosecution.

The concerns don't surprise state Sen. Tick Segerblom. The Las Vegas
Democrat championed the bill in the 2013 legislative session that
created the medical marijuana dispensary program.

Since the bill's approval, cities and counties across the state have
debated the legalities surrounding dispensaries. None has opened. So
Segerblom isn't surprised the casino industry has its own set of issues.

Funny thing is, he said, medical pot has been around for more than a
decade. There may be casino employees and customers already legally
using the drug.

However, until dispensaries open, patients are either growing the drug
on their own or getting it from caregivers who grow it and donate it.
The reality has been that many buy the drug from illegal suppliers.

Segerblom said individual casinos and gaming companies are going to
have to come up with methods and guidelines for dealing with the issue
of medical marijuana.

"There aren't any easy answers and obviously there are many more
questions surfacing," Segerblom said.

A legislative interim subcommittee on medical marijuana is expected to
meet soon to address some of the issues that have risen since the
bill's passage. Segerblom is positive the medical marijuana matter
will be addressed once again when the 2015 legislative session gets
underway.

Gaming regulators, however, have to deal with the issue
now.

That's why gaming license holders are being advised to stay away from
the medical marijuana trade. Casino employees who, for whatever
reason, have to undergo drug testing to keep their jobs can't ingest
medical marijuana, even if it has been prescribed by a doctor.

Meanwhile, what happens if enterprising Nevada lawmakers decide to
follow the lead of Colorado and legalize the growing, sale and
consumption of small amounts of marijuana?

The Control Board and the Nevada Gaming Commission probably don't even
want to travel down that path.

As gaming regulators, the state agency is mindful of federal laws, in
which possession and distribution of marijuana is considered a crime.
However, the Justice Department is shying away from prosecuting minor
marijuana matters. That could change when a new administration takes
over after the 2016 presidential election. There are just too many
questions. For now, maybe it's best Nevada's gaming industry take some
advice from the 1978 Cheech and Chong movie, "Up in Smoke" and just
"mellow out."  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D