Last week, the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board approved 40 cannabis lounge applications. SoL Cannabis is one of two dispensaries that received a prospective license in Northern Nevada.
SoL Cannabis is located on a large parcel in Washoe Valley, and it’s home to an 8,000-square-foot dispensary. It’s known not only for its cannabis cultivation with natural sunlight and organic soil but also as a place for gatherings, concerts and, currently, a toy drive.
Owner Ed Alexander has been in the industry for about 30 years, and he says he has been preparing for lounges ever since cannabis became legal in Nevada.
“From the day that we came up with the concept, we knew that as the industry evolved, at some point, consumption was going to be a part of it,” Alexander said.
Consumption lounges have been a topic of debate since Nevada legalized medical and recreational cannabis use for adults. During the 2021 legislative session, Assembly Bill A341 was passed to address consumption issues.
In June, the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board voted to approve consumption lounges, giving businesses the chance to enter a lottery in order to get a prospective license; however, local jurisdictions still need to pass proposed regulations.
In Washoe County, the board of commissioners is expected to make a decision on January 24. If passed, the measure will be effective 20 days after, making SoL Cannabis the first approved cannabis lounge in the area.
Alexander is already envisioning the project. He said he is getting inspiration from what the consumers in the cannabis community would like to see, and his vision for the potential uses of the property is allowing him to dream beyond four walls.
“From our standpoint, we’re going to focus on events. We’re going to focus on outdoor. ... Potentially giving space for cannabis weddings. We have a ton of people that would love to have a place where they could have a cannabis birthday for adults,” Alexander said.
Alexander is also planning to offer a variety of food options to his customers.
“We’d see the evolution of this with both uninfused food or munchies. And then we also see some opportunities to do some food pairings. You might have a nice three- or four-course meal down here at some point, with an infused salad dressing or an infused whipped cream to end the meal,” he said.
Regulations and criticism
According to the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board, the lounges will have to follow strict regulations.
In terms of food, ready-to-consume cannabis products must comply with the FDA Food Code, and alcohol, tobacco and nicotine products will not be permitted for use or sale on site.
Display and consumption of any cannabis product should not be visible from outside the facility’s premises, and the site also needs to comply with ventilation standards.
In addition, facilities must develop a plan for mitigating impaired driving, such as partnering with a rideshare service, but a major concern for some Washoe Valley residents is that cannabis consumption lounges may increase the risk of impaired driving.
“[Driving under the influence is] a decision that each of us makes independently, and it has very little to do with an establishment. So I think it's better for us to have a regulated, safe place where we can be monitoring consumption,” Alexander said.
Although Washoe Valley residents will have to wait a few weeks to find out if cannabis lounge licenses are approved, Alexander is enthusiastic and expects the cannabis industry to continue to grow.