Gaming and resort professionals want to be shielded from any potential disciplinary action that might be levied by the Nevada Gaming Control Board if the city legalizes marijuana lounges, underscoring that patrons leaving lounges with marijuana to enter a nearby casino could violate the Controlled Substances Act at the federal level, where marijuana is illegal.

“Proximity for us is problematic, and we would ask that you offer us some protections,” Virginia Valentine, president of the Nevada Resort Association, told the committee as she requested banning deliveries and keeping lounges outside the corridor of the downtown gaming district.

For marijuana stakeholders, however, the idea of social use venues answers the question of where medical marijuana patients and tourists will smoke after the state legalized recreational marijuana in 2017.

“For too long now, our tourists have been subject to uncontrolled environments such as parking garages and dark corners,” said James Lamb, vice president of the Las Vegas Medical Marijuana Association. “With these social use venues, though, must come responsibility for safety and security.”

The committee ultimately kicked the bill to the Feb. 19 meeting.

Social use venues draft bill

• Marijuana smoking permitted

• Alcohol license would allow adult beverages no greater than 11 percent alcohol beverage volume

• $5,000 annual license fee

• Sell of marijuana or marijuana-related products prohibited

• Paraphernalia can be distributed, rented or sold

• Businesses must submit security, air quality control, fire safety and training plans

• No consumption in general public view or smoking in outdoor areas

• No storing marijuana or products on site

• Must be 1,000 feet from schools, 300 feet from all other protected uses