Nevada had planned to start the sale of recreational marijuana on July 1st, just short of ten days from now, but things could get delayed.
A Carson City judge ruled in favor of alcohol distributors on Tuesday which have been in a dispute with the state Tax Department.
District Judge James Wilson issued an injunction that reverses the Tax Department’s decision to allow more than just alcohol wholesalers to transport recreational marijuana from cultivators to retail outlet.
The department may consider appealing Wilson’s ruling. In a statement it said, “The Department is reviewing the court’s decision with the Attorney General’s office and will explore all legal avenues to proceed with the program as provided in the regulations.”
“We are committed to ensuring the vote of the people to provide for the legal purchase of marijuana from a strictly regulated market will proceed on July 1,” the statement said.
Voters had voted last November to legalize the use of recreational marijuana which included a requirement that distribution licenses would be issued only to alcohol distributors for the first 18 months of retail sales.
It’s unclear yet if the ruling will prevent all dispensaries from recreational marijuana sales starting July 1st or if those with inventory ready to go on their shelves will be able to sell it.
Wilson had ruled that Independent Alcohol Distributors of Nevada would suffer irreparable harm if the Tax Department issued retail marijuana distributor licenses to other businesses.
“Once licenses are issued to others, it will be difficult if not impossible to revoke those licenses … ” he said in the ruling.