Nevada Tax Commission again says no to liquor distributors in marijuana fight
Published on 8/26/17
In Nevada's recreational marijuana bill which passed last year, someone gave the state's alcohol distributors exclusive rights to supplying dispensaries with cannabis, instead of actual cannabis growers. When the liquor distributors dropped the ball by not being prepared on the designated start time, real cannabis growers were awarded licenses instead to get the program started as soon as possible. Now the alcohol distributors are upset they're losing out on money, and they've not given up the fight. After being turned down on their last appeal over the licensing, the alcohol distributors have now appealed to the Nevada Supreme Court. Arguments will be heard by the Supreme Court on Sep. 6.
The Nevada Tax Commission on Tuesday dealt another blow to liquor distributors hoping to hold a monopoly on distributing retail marijuana throughout the state.
Tax commissioners voted to uphold a determination by the Nevada Tax Department that there are not enough licensed liquor distributors to properly serve the state’s recreational marijuana market.
Lawyers for alcohol distributors argued that the Aug. 10 meeting, in which the department decided to license beyond alcohol distributors, did not give them proper due process to argue their case and forced them to appeal the department’s decision.
