Henderson, Nevada Enacts Temporary Ban on Recreational Cannabis

The Henderson City Council is one step closer to temporarily prohibiting all recreational cannabis activities for almost a year. The proposed ordinance will give officials the necessary time they need to put into place regulations for the future market.

“Mayor (Andy) Hafen and the council want to make sure they have the time needed to review the regulations being developed by the state of Nevada and any changes made by the Nevada Legislature before making any determinations related to the licensing, operation and location of recreational marijuana businesses in Henderson,” city spokesman David Cherry said.

If passed, council members will use the temporary ban on retail cannabis businesses in order to set out regulations for licensing, operation and the application of various requirements. They would also discuss the various cannabis-related business opportunities, which include facilities for the sale, production, cultivation, manufacturing, testing and transportation of cannabis. The 360-day moratorium will be voted on during the council’s February 7 meeting.

If the city council reaches a decision regarding recreational cannabis regulations before the 360-day period, they have the right to revoke the moratorium. However, if they find that 360 days has not provided them with enough time to settle on their decisions, councilmembers can also extend the ban for 90 additional days.

Nevada legalized cannabis for adult recreational use in November’s election when voters approved Question 2. This legislation gives the state of Nevada until January 1, 2018 to come up with guidelines to regulate its new recreational cannabis market. Once it creates regulations, then it is able to begin accepting applications for cannabis businesses.

By the city of Henderson giving their councilmembers almost a year to come up with regulations, they will likely roll out their regulations in conjunction with those of the state.