Newly appointed executive director of the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board (CCB) Jimmy Humm has a vision to uphold the “gold standard” of the CCB while navigating a growing cannabis industry that generated nearly $850 million in sales and returned over $133 million in taxes in fiscal year 2023.
In an interview with The Nevada Independent, Humm discussed how he intends to use his “pro-business” stance to help guide cannabis companies through regulations, including focusing on new laws that were passed during the 2023 legislative session, such as increased possession limits, allowing certain ex-offenders to return to cannabis workplaces, ending time and effort billing and capping fines at $20,000 per violation. Humm is also committed to running a more transparent agency and plans to address a number of issues regarding cost of entry, social equity and licensing, and is promoting a survey for consumers and members of the industry that assesses the market.
“Industry has already come to me with ideas and saying … how heavily regulated [the market] is,” said Humm. “These are the things that I want to look at with industry, potentially look to change at the next legislative session—but at the same time, we’re bound by [state law].”
Humm, along with Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, have said that dismantling the unregulated cannabis market is a priority. A 2020 report found between 70 and 80 percent of cannabis sales in the state that year were from the illegal market.
“Jimmy has done exemplary work at the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, and I look forward to Jimmy bringing his nuanced understanding of state government and industry issues to his new role,” said Gov. Lombardo.
Humm replaced previous executive director Tyler Klimas, who resigned from the position after leading the agency in its first four years to begin a cannabis and hemp consulting company. Humm previously worked in the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and as Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Liaison for the Office of Attorney General.
The state’s Cannabis Compliance Board recently issued its first license for a cannabis consumption lounge, awarding the license to Thrive Cannabis Marketplace for its “Smoke and Mirrors” facility in Las Vegas. The first three conditional licenses were initially approved in June 2023 to Planet 13 Holdings, The Venue at Sol Cannabis, and Thrive before six additional licenses were approved in November 2023. The lounge is expected to operate as a dispensary with a consumption lounge attached and will offer curated cannabis products and cannabis-infused drinks. The space will also host product launches as well as other events and demonstrations to “enhance customers’ understanding of cannabis and its diverse offerings.” The CCB said the state has approved 19 lounges for conditional licenses, 14 retail-attached locations and five independent consumption lounge locations.
“We’ve marked a lot of ‘firsts’ in Nevada and we’re honored to yet again be at the forefront of Nevada’s cannabis industry by officially launching the first regulated Cannabis Lounge in the state,” said Mitch Britten, CEO of Thrive. “With ‘Smoke and Mirrors,’ we have created an unparalleled destination for cannabis enthusiasts to enjoy a diverse range of premium products in a really engaging atmosphere.”
Starting in the new year, Nevada more than doubled the possession limits for cannabis flower and concentrates after Gov. Lombardo signed SB 277 into law in June 2023 that increased the total amount of cannabis adults can purchase and possess. The new law allows for the purchase of up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis flower and/or up to one-quarter of an ounce of cannabis concentrates, up from the previous limits of one ounce of flower and one-eighth of an ounce of concentrates. Other provisions in the law also allowed for licensed medical cannabis dispensaries to serve non-medical patients as well.
