Bill fixes law to prohibit growing marijuana in Nevada
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) - An Assembly panel was urged Wednesday to pass a bill closing a loophole that let marijuana farmers grow up to 99 pounds of pot and avoid cultivation charges. "Someone noticed it's OK to grow marijuana in this state," Washoe County Deputy District Attorney Gemma Waldron told the Assembly Judiciary Committee. "The bill closes a loophole in the law." SB242 stems from a 1999 law change that iadvertently erased a specific penalty for growing up to 99 pounds of marijuana. But people caught growing such amounts still could face possession rather than cultivation charges. "This deals with growing one pound or more of marijuana," Waldron said. "When it's over a pound of marijuana someone is growing, it's usually for sales - it's a business. It's much more serious." Assemblyman Tom Collins, D-North Las Vegas, said he wasn't surprised at the loophole because of the "backwardness of the way the state has been run." Assembly Judiciary Chairman Bernie Anderson, D-Sparks, said the bill won't conflict with a medical marijuana bill that won approval in his committee. AB453, sponsored by Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, authorizes medical use of marijuana and decriminalizes possession of small amounts of pot. The Assembly measure calls for an Oregon-style system that would let anyone qualifying for medical marijuana grow up to seven plants. The bill would create a state registry for all patients whose doctors recommend they use marijuana for medical reasons. People with cancer, AIDS, glaucoma, severe pain and nausea would be eligible for a marijuana user card.