Nevada announces winners of provisional cannabis lounge licenses

A new generation of potential cannabis leaders learned Wednesday they had won a coveted provisional license to operate a consumption lounge through a process local advocates touted as a beacon of justice.

The licensing round – which designates a set amount of licenses for “social equity” applicants – aims to help diversify ownership in the industry where more than 80 percent leadership consists of white males.

“I’m still in shock,” said Rachel Lee, winner of a prospective social equity license, in an interview after the drawing. “I feel like ‘is this for real?’”

Unlike other industries, licenses for cannabis businesses are capped in Nevada.

Through a random selection process using software, the board awarded 20 entities with “prospective” independent consumption lounge licenses, including 10 “social equity” applicants, out of a pool of 80 submitters.

A social equity applicant is a person seeking a consumption lounge license who was adversely affected by the so-called War on Drugs.

The announcement of winners by the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board (CCB) foreshadows a new day in the world of cannabis ownership by including disenfranchised voices. These newly legal establishments are expected to add to the tourism and entertainment offerings in Nevada, providing a space for visitors and locals to legally indulge in public cannabis use for the first time. [Read More @ The Nevada Independent]