LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — The Clark County Commission passed sweeping regulations on stores selling a variety of hemp products, all in an effort to crack down on stores that skirt regulations, sell intoxicating items or deceive customers.
The ordinance faced fierce debate from dozens of businesses and workers who sent letters and spoke before the Commission, all calling on county leaders to crack down on bad actors and not impose undue burdens on law-abiding businesses.
The ordinance requires, among other mandates, a license to sell hemp, mandated testing of all products (ensuring non-intoxicating THC levels and ingredient disclosure), a sign notifying customers that the store is not a licensed dispensary, and no CBD in edible products.
FOX5 has reported on a range of side effects from unlicensed or unregulated products. CBD that may be sold on shelves of local stores have new compounds can make you high, sick, or cause unknown side effects.
State Sen. Lori Rogich spoke before the Commission on her advocacy, statewide: warning those of the dangers of unregulated cannabis, and making sure laws keep them out of the hands of Nevadans.
“I’m talking not just as a policymaker, and I’m speaking as a mom and a grandmother who has lived with that intense pain of losing a child,” she said. Her daughter Jessica passed away after consuming cannabis laced with a narcotic; she suffered a psychotic break and took her own life. The single mother left behind a son, whom Rogich has raised.
“I’m here on behalf of my family, on behalf of so many other families that have been harmed by illegal and intoxicating products. This is something that can be stopped,” Rogich said.
FOX5 spoke to County Commissioner Tick Segerblom about the proposed regulations, which attempt to curb deceptive sales. “We’re going to make sure we’re testing the ingredients to make sure there is no THC, because if it’s THC, then it’s illegal and it’s competing with our legal industry… It’s a huge problem on the Strip… it’s taking a lot of revenue out of our pockets,” Segerblom said. Businesses that continue these practices could put their business license at risk, he said.
Numerous businesses spoke out against the regulations, calling them burdensome for compliant businesses.
“Our concern is that adding new layers of local regulation could unintentionally burden businesses that are already compliant, while those who ignore the law may continue operating outside the system if existing rules are not consistently enforced,” a local hemp manufacturer told the board.
Other businesses voiced concerns against restrictions on edible products; some are used by cancer patients and those with medical issues.
Edvin Efraimov of The Retail Group tells FOX5, his business buys locally-sourced hemp products that are regulated by the Cannabis Compliance Board, and verified to have non-intoxicating THC levels.
Efraimov voices concerns about the impact on numerous small businesses.
“That’s going to really put the small guys out of business,” he said.
”What’s going to happen to [workers] is they’re going to lose their job. And you know how challenging it is right now in today’s economic environment to find a new job,” he said.
The ordinance goes into effect in 120 days. Commissioners said they will work to address business concerns and even amend the ordinance.
Copyright 2026 KVVU. All rights reserved.
