This Sunday, Nevada will become the seventh US state to eliminate criminal penalties specific to the adult possession and personal use of cannabis.
“What happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas,” NORML Executive Director Erik Altieri said. “Voters in the western region of the United States are leading the way toward the eventual nationwide re-legalization of marijuana by responsible adults. Federal laws need to reflect this reality, not deny it.”
On Election Day, 55 percent of Nevada voters approved Question 2, the Nevada Marijuana Legalization Initiative. The law permits adults who are not participating in the state’s existing medical cannabis program to possess up to one ounce of marijuana and/or up to 3.5 grams of cannabis concentrates. An adult may also lawfully grow up to six plants in their home if they reside 25 miles or more away from a marijuana retailer. Provisions in the law also permit for the possession and sale of marijuana-related paraphernalia as well as the gifting of small amounts of cannabis for no financial remuneration. Public use of the plant remains a criminal misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $600.
Separate provisions in the statute also license the commercial production and retail sale of cannabis, which will be subject to a 15 percent excise tax. Those regulations do not take effect until January 1, 2018.
Alaska, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Washington have previously adopted voter-initiated laws legalizing the private consumption of cannabis by adults. The District of Columbia also permits adults to legally possess and grow personal use quantities of marijuana in private residences. Similar legislation in Maine is anticipated to go into effect later next month.
There is no 25 mile limit on growing. That is part of the medical marijuana law.
[Paul Armentano responds:
Sec. 14. Penalties. 1. Restrictions on personal cultivation.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in 453A of NRS, any person who:
(1) Cultivates marijuana plants within 25 miles of a retail marijuana store licensed pursuant to sections 1 to 18, inclusive, of this act, unless the person is a marijuana cultivation facility or a person acting in his or her capacity as an agent of a marijuana cultivation facility;
– See more at: https://www.regulatemarijuanainnevada.org/full-initiative-text/#sthash.TThB2u5Z.dpuf%5D
Thank you Nevada! We all need to hold on to what we fought for. I think we are about to find out how free we really are. By the people for the people!
Congratulations, citizens of Nevada! Here’s to your good health and spirits!
Oh, man. Talk about a happy new year!
When the ball comes down, fire ’em up.
What a great post to start the New Year.
The sooner Nevada starts producing revenue from legally and fairly taxed marijuana the better. Eat yer heart out Sheldon Adelson!
Happy New Year, Nevadanz!
It isn’t legal unless everyone can grow the plant that God created. If the ordinary person, regardless of their distance from a retailer, cannot grow the plant, then marijuana is not legal int his state. I’d say it is only decriminalized at best.
NORML needs to stop promoting and supporting ballot initiatives that do not specifically include allowing all citizens of adequate age to grow marijuana regardless of their proximity to marijuana businesses.
In addition, I’d suggest pushing for legislation that doesn’t place a limit on the number of plants that can be grown. A certain limit (for example six plants) is absolutely ridiculous when marijuana plants can be grown to varying sizes. Six plants could yield six ounces (in a grow box), six pounds (if grown to a huge size in a room with tall ceilings with maxed out lighting), or even more if grown outside in a green house with tons of special care. Limiting the number of plants is totally ridiculous if they are trying to reduce the quantity of final product someone is capable of harvesting. This needs to be stressed — big time.
A better alternative would be to remove the limit on number of plants entirely and replace it with a maximum quantity of actual bud an individual possess without a license (if there HAS to be any regulation at all on this matter). I’d say go for ten pounds. This is a quantity that could be — with great effort — achieved indoors from six plants. However, it would allow someone to grow a greater number of smaller plants to achieve a similar harvest if so desired.
We went from negotiating our way out of prison for a joint and you say a 25 mile limit should have dropped the whole initiative? Billionaire Sheldon Adelson dumped millions of his Vegas money to stop this bill and you think we should have given up the whole bill because of a 25 mile rule? Once again, the perfect becomes the enemy of the good.
I want to commend you and thank you on your wonderful site. The news is great although the best part is being able to post a comment without being forced to use a Facebook account or another social medium, and I have never used a Facebook or twitter account ever I don’t even know what they look like.
Missouri did it. I seen on the TV news Missouri decriminalized a small amount of marijuana. The governor Jay Nixon allowed the law to pass not even signing it and I was reading on the internet and Missouri may allow a person to grow a little. I think the news said a small fine of 5 dollars, wow, anything higher in amount though they said becomes a legal issue. So to not get legal problems you had not to had previous marijuana legal issues. Still it’s great.
Beer man, Where did you get this info for Missouri ? I’m in Missouri and thought only certain city’s or counties were included. And what constitutes a little ?
[Paul Armentano responds: Penalties for possession of up to 10 grams by first-time offenders was amended on January 1, 2017: http://norml.org/news/2017/01/05/missouri-minor-marijuana-possession-offenses-no-longer-punishable-by-jail.%5D
Bet you can’t get a hotel room in Vegas right now… these are going to be the best 20 days in Vegas’s history… Smoke up,, but hurry
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Well why the hell can’t I buy weed then??? This is literally killing me. As an alcoholic who needs a better alternative, I’m at the end of my rope. I’ve been promising myself help for the past six months, and its not here yet. I’m gonna die drinking because I can’t buy what I need to be happy. DAMN IT HELP ME
I quit drinking in 1991, but didn’t buy my first legal weed until 2009. If you need to quit drinking, don’t wait — do it! Black market weed will get you by; or better yet, move to a state where it’s already legal! But don’t let anything stand in the way of your recovery, if that’s what you choose to do. Best of luck to you.
Do they have collectives in Nevada or only delivery services?
cannabis [cbd’s] together with conventional meds
and rational fitness practices reduced then
ended my temporal lobe grand mal seizures..
now recognised brain plasticity [incl healing]
started after reading canadian uni research
[‘reduces the incidence of seizures’]
neurologist probnosis ‘institutionalised by 55’.. now 68, completely fit free 20yrs, licensed to drive/ride, excellent health..
anyone with epilepsy related ‘headaches’
or [at least some forms of] epilepsy,
should know of this natural effective
medicine, its cbd’s and how they work
within neuronal synapse process’..
probably other similar headaches such as
migraine and menstrual related symptoms
would also benefit from this process..
it is not, high thc here, but cbd’s
which are present in ordinary leaf
from naturally grown cannabis..
ie, often discarded parts of the plant,
which are a potentially effective medicine
even cure for seriously negative conditions..
stoners and recreational users should know
that the quality and subtlety of experience
is also effected by cbd’s..
many recreational users are simply overdosing,
given virtually zero information/education
as to doseage for cannabis..
another corruption based deprivation of
simple important information from users..
congratulations usa citizens supporting
these rational anti blackmarket reforms,
long, overdue…
okay. so its january 21st today. dose that means i can grow 6 plants in my room without a medical marijuana license? lets keep in mind that theres is NO facility anywhere in nevada that can sell recreational canabis to 21 year olds without a medical canabis license yet. using this information can i grow 6 plants without a license because theres is NO facility that can sell it to non medical patients?
I don’t understand the fact of being able to grow 6 plants but only being able to possess one ounce. Am I supposed to burn the rest or what. Doesn’t seem logical.
[Paul Armentano responds: The one ounce limit applies to those obtaining cannabis from retail outlets. Those who grow may possess the total harvest of their six-plant yield.]