Pubdate: Tue, 17 Jun 2014
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV)
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
Page: 8B

MARIJUANA SALES

Henderson on Right Path, but Don't Over-Regulate

Henderson is taking the high road in licensing medical marijuana 
dispensaries. Rather than pick favorites at the outset of the 
process, the city proposes to screen license applicants based on 
defined suitability criteria, then forward them to state regulators 
for evaluation. Under ordinances that will be considered by the City 
Council today, Henderson would not take the approach of Clark County, 
which invited a lobbying frenzy - and questions of integrity - by 
marching every applicant in front of the board and making its picks 
before state consideration. If the state doesn't license a 
dispensary, the application dies.

As reported Monday by the Review-Journal's Arnold Knightly, the state 
will rank the applicants before returning them to the city for final 
approval. The city's requirement that 20 percent of the ownership of 
each dispensary partnership reside in Nevada is an invitation for 
connected insiders to cash in. But having the state recommend a cut 
line should immunize the council against accusations of preferential treatment.

Henderson is on the right path after initially appearing hostile to 
medical marijuana operations. There's no keeping medical marijuana 
out of the state's second-largest city - to say nothing of criminal 
recreational sales - when its neighbors are moving forward with 
licensed dispensaries. It's better for Henderson to oversee sales of 
medical marijuana on its own terms.

A word of caution to the council as it takes up the licensing 
process: The goal should be getting this highly effective drug into 
the hands of the sick, not enriching city coffers. If the city's fees 
are too high, the dispensaries will have to recover those costs 
through higher prices, which will send the sick to street dealers who 
don't pay taxes.

Regulation of medical marijuana is good. Over-regulation invites 
unintended consequences and holds back a potential new industry 
before it even starts.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom