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Pot lounge legalization comes with restrictions for Vegas business owners

Posted at 7:04 PM, May 02, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-03 01:01:14-04

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Las Vegas City Council has approved cannabis lounges and the vote will allow marijuana users to smoke in locations outside of their homes.

Recreational users like Phillip Davis was excited by the approval.

"You can go to a bar, have a drink, so why not go into a weed lounge, have a smoke, and relax," he said.

RELATED: Las Vegas City Council votes in favor of pot lounges

Co-owner of Sahara Wellness, Brenda Gunsallas, said she plans to build a lounge right next to her dispensary along Sahara Avenue.

When it comes to restrictions within the City of Las Vegas, the ordinance doesn't allow the lounges to be built within 1000 feet of schools or casinos.

"I'm kind of neutral on that," Gunsallas said. "We all went through this process when building the dispensaries. We had to be so many feet from schools and churches."

She's also preparing to face the challenge of keeping her customers safe inside, and after they leave, the lounge.

Gunsallus said she would train her staff to educate the clients on all of the effects of the strains of marijuana they buy, persuade them to only take as much as they can handle, and encourage customers not to drive a car while under the influence of marijuana.

Davis said if the opportunity ever arises for him to drive away from a lounge high, he'll choose to be safe rather than sorry.

"Uber, Lyft, just a friend to make sure," he said. "Obviously, you just want to be safe."