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Nevada voters speak out about legalizing recreational marijuana

Posted at 12:00 AM, Nov 09, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-09 03:26:43-05

A majority of voters have decided on legalizing recreational marijuana in Nevada.

Question 2 passed Tuesday, which means anyone 21 or older can legally possess up to one ounce of pot.

A watch party at Shango Cannabis near Boulder Highway and Lamb let out a cheer every time a new precinct reported in favor of "Yes."

They got to celebrate with comedian and known weed proponent Tommy Chong of "Cheech and Chong" fame.

The final vote wasn't all that close, but coming into the election both sides considered it to be a nail biter and pushed their cases hard.

"I personally don't understand how having more drugs on the street is going to be better for any community," said Jimmy Stracner of Protecting Nevada's Children No on 2.

Shauntel Ludwig of Da Vinci Vaporizers argued marijuana will become a commercial good that will benefit the entire valley through the money raised from the new taxes.

Supporters like Ludwig say millions of dollars will be raised in tax revenue that can go toward education in Nevada.

Those on the other side think the impact there is overstated.

The other point commonly disagreed upon is about whether legalizing will eliminate the black market for marijuana.

Chong unsurprisingly had plenty to say on the issue.

"Marijuana makes everyone smarter because it's scientifically proven to affect the brain," he said. THC affects the brain. It enhances what's already there."

We have the full interview with Tommy Chong here on our website, and you're not going to want to miss his distinctive brand of humor.