Thrive Cannabis Las Vegas Consumption Lounge Near Strip Ready

Posted on: February 15, 2024, 11:28h. 

Last updated on: February 15, 2024, 12:34h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

Thrive Cannabis Marketplace’s Las Vegas dispensary near the Strip will soon open its on-site consumption lounge.

Thrive Cannabis Las Vegas Strip casino
Thrive Cannabis Marketplace in Las Vegas, just west of the Strip, will soon offer an on-site consumption lounge where consumers can legally partake in their purchased products. The consumption lounge will be the first licensed location in Nevada. (Image: Thrive Cannabis Marketplace)

Thrive Cannabis announced Thursday that it’s received the inaugural Cannabis Consumption Lounge license from the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board. The permit allows Thrive to offer an indoor space where consumers can legally consume the cannabis products they purchase at the dispensary.

Aptly named “Smoke and Mirrors,” Thrive’s marijuana consumption space will offer guests a “curated selection of premium cannabis products” and THC-infused libations. No alcohol is available, as booze and cannabis must stay apart under Nevada’s recreational cannabis law.

We’ve marked a lot of ‘firsts’ in Nevada and we’re honored to yet again be at the forefront of Nevada’s cannabis industry by officially launching the first regulated cannabis lounge in the state,” said Mitch Britten, managing partner and CEO of Thrive Cannabis Marketplace. “With Smoke and Mirrors, we have created an unparalleled destination for cannabis enthusiasts to enjoy a diverse range of premium products in a really engaging atmosphere.”

Thrive Las Vegas is located just west of the Strip, along Sammy Davis Jr. Drive at Resorts World Avenue. The property at 2975 S. Sammy Davis Drive was previously a strip club.

Smoke and Mirrors, Thrive’s statement said, will open later this month. The dispensary and forthcoming lounge are within walking distance of several casinos on the northern part of the Strip, including Fontainebleau, Resorts World, Circus Circus, and Wynn/Encore.

Casinos Keep Their Distance

Federal and state law requires that Nevada’s many casinos stay away from the state’s legal cannabis industry. Cannabis remains classified as a Schedule 1 narcotic according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. It’s the same classification as heroin, LSD, and ecstasy.

Nevada’s cannabis law requires that dispensaries and consumption lounges remain at least 1,500 feet from a licensed casino. Cannabis businesses also must be located at least 1,000 feet away from a public or private K-12 school.

The regulation means there are no dispensaries on the Strip or in downtown Las Vegas along Fremont Street. Consumption lounges similarly won’t be located on the tourism corridors.

Legal Consumption

Out-of-town and non-Nevadan guests aged 21 and older are legally allowed to purchase cannabis from a dispensary. But they legally have nowhere to consume the product unless staying at a private residence. Hotel rooms do not qualify.

Nevada lawmakers in 2021 remedied the problem by passing Assembly Bill 341. The statute formed a legal framework for cannabis consumption lounges.

Along with Thrive, Planet 13 received a conditional consumption license last June. The conditional licenses allowed the two dispensary bigwigs to prepare their consumption lounges for operation.

The Cannabis Compliance Board recently performed a final inspection of Thrive’s Smoke and Mirrors before issuing the business a formal consumption license. Planet 13 is readying its consumption space called “Dazed! Lounge” for a similar inspection.