Pubdate: Sun, 02 Feb 2014
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV)
Copyright: 2014 Las Vegas Review-Journal
Website: http://www.lvrj.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/233
Author: Jeffrey F. Barr
Page: 2D

GROW THE ECONOMY WITH MEDICAL MARIJUANA

To the editor:

Jobs and taxable income are the two things Nevada needs most. The
medical marijuana business can generate both tax revenue and new job
opportunities for Nevadans. In Colorado, for instance, medical
cannabis generated more than $9 million on a 2.9 percent sales tax
last year alone.

This doesn't include the property taxes that cultivators, labs and
dispensaries pay. Let's say that the pharmaceutical industry has
developed a 100 percent natural product that alleviated the suffering
of thousands of Nevadans diagnosed with cancer, HIV/AIDS, glaucoma,
migraines, epilepsy and other debilitating diseases. They now want to
locate their manufacturing and distribution facilities throughout
local jurisdictions in Nevada. Now realize that the only thing
preventing patients' access to this palliative product is the
reluctance of some local governments to issue zoning and business
license regulations to these pharmaceutical companies willing to
invest millions of dollars in these jurisdictions. This is the current
state of limbo of the medical cannabis industry in Nevada.

As many legal experts have pointed out, all that stands in the way of
real care for thousands of Nevadans is an irrational fear: Some local
jurisdictions have passed moratoriums on zoning and licensing medical
marijuana cultivators, labs and dispensaries because of a simple fear
of the unknown - they've never licensed a medical cannabis operation
before ("Medical marijuana dilemma," Jan. 20 Review-Journal).

But if these local jurisdictions won't zone medical cannabis
establishments for humanitarian reasons, they should do it for
economic reasons. In 2013, sales of legal marijuana nationwide topped
$1.43 billion. This industry is expected to grow by 64 percent this
year, with sales expected to hit $2.34 billion.

The medical marijuana industry is as hightech as any pharmaceutical
endeavor. It takes chemists and agronomists to grow specific strains
to manage particular symptoms. Cultivating and caring for these
specific strains is a labor-intensive process, and dispensaries need
qualified staff to serve their clients. This adds an entirely new
spectrum of nongaming/ nonmining jobs to the Nevada economy. Finally,
the commerce needs an army of professional support to ensure
compliance with laws and the safety and security of patrons.

So it is true that local jurisdictions have never licensed medical
cannabis before, but there was a first time for these jurisdictions to
license gaming, alcohol consumption and other adult uses, too. Medical
marijuana commerce is no different than any other privileged business
license.

Local jurisdictions should recognize that they are really not blazing
any new territory and should pass reasonable zoning and business
licensing regulations to allow medical marijuana establishments to
begin serving clients in Nevada.

Jeffrey F. Barr

Las Vegas
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MAP posted-by: Matt