When Nevada first legalized recreational cannabis in 2017, it seemed liked Las Vegas was immediately poised to welcome an influx of weed-loving tourists. A museum opened, a number of cannabis-fueled classes began to crop up, and a series of marijuana-themed tours took root. However, public consumption has hit a legal roadblock, with recent Nevada legislation postponing the licensing of consumption lounges for two whole years. Fortunately, that statute doesn’t apply to the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe, which operates a fully legal cannabis consumption venue, the Vegas Tasting Room, inside the NuWu Cannabis Marketplace. Because it’s on sovereign land, the Vegas Tasting Room is the only place in Las Vegas where folks can safely and legally consume the sacred herb—for now.
When recreational cannabis was first legalized in Nevada, a number of marijuana-themed attractions appeared on the horizon. Today, Las Vegas is home to a two-hour Puff, Pass and Paint class, which invites creative types to deftly wield paintbrushes between tokes in a relaxed environment geared toward all skill levels, from budding artists to established painters and everyone between. Because of Nevada’s consumption laws, however, attendees are required to bring their own bud, and the location’s address is only revealed once tickets are bought. The same goes for similar classes that are currently in the works, such as Puff, Pass and Pastry, which hopes to teach students how to cook with cannabis over brunch or dinner; and Puff, Pass, Pottery, which bills itself as the “only 420 friendly clay working class in the state,” promising to teach attendees how to make ashtrays—with glazing and firing included. The forthcoming Puff, Pass & Pamper class, meanwhile, seeks to instruct guests on how to whip up lip balm, bath soaks, and ingredients for a THC facial.
Another pot-inspired activity that Las Vegas event organizers had in mind upon legalization was the good old-fashioned tour. While there appear to be no weed-themed tours operating at the moment, a few have been planned out. The Sin City Cannabis Tour plans to take folks on a two-and-a-half-hour ride inside a party bus, hitting all of the 420 destinations worth seeing in Las Vegas. Those interested in a more behind-the-scenes look at the marijuana industry will have a chance to take the one-of-a-kind Grow Tour, which offers an exclusive expedition inside an indoor grow house. And in what is perhaps the most ambitious tour of them all, the Hop On Hop Off Cannabis Tour wants to take people along the famous Las Vegas Strip and historic Fremont Street, recalling the regular hop on/hop off tours in major cities around the world, only with bongs, blunts, and bud to boot. Unfortunately, because of the aforementioned laws restricting cannabis consumption, these cannabis tours—like most of the classes—appear to be on hold until Nevada state and Las Vegas city officials figure things out, legally speaking.
Along with classes and tours, another pot-themed attraction is gearing up for action in Las Vegas: Cannabition Cannabis Museum, the world’s first immersive museum dedicated to marijuana. But as with most of the cannabis-themed classes and all of the marijuana-related tours, the museum itself is in limbo, too. It’s temporarily closed, with plans to reopen as a “10,000 square-foot journey featuring more than 20 unique, cannabis inspired art installations celebrating the arts, culture, history, and celebration of the medical and recreational cannabis experience,” according to its website. Right now, Cannabition is in the process of moving to a new location at Planet 13, a mega-dispensary with its own hopes of opening a coffee house and restaurant, pending the clarification of local consumption laws, of course.
By all appearances, Las Vegas has big plans to attract tourists who are also cannabis enthusiasts, and the forecast certainly looks exciting. For the time being, however, weed-loving visitors really just have one option when it comes to public places in which to legally consume cannabis. At nearly 16,000 square feet, the NuWu Cannabis Marketplace features hundreds of products and a drive-through window, serving up to 3,000 people daily. NuWu, which translates to “the Southern Paiute people,” is also home to the Vegas Tasting Room, the only place in the city where social consumption is permitted. This year, it’s the place to be during MJBizCon, which takes place December 11–14 in Las Vegas. And until Nevada officially legalizes consumption lounges, NuWu is the only place to be for cannabis-lovers—all thanks to the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe of Native Americans.