Weed is legal in Vegas

[jojo p]

Whynot, this is the craziest thread I have read in a long time, so you think that weed being legalized in Vegas would take away from Negril....you are mistaken, Negril has a vibe that you will never experience in vegas, what a weird comparison !!!

[halfwaytree]

jojo p, I agree. Negril and Vegas are like apples and oranges. You may as well compare vacationing in NYC to a visit to the Grand Canyon. Two totally different vibes and everything else. With that said, the fact that you can now purchase weed legally in Vegas, may attract more visitors but it will not take anything away from the reasons people visit Negril.

[Accompong]

For one, I could not see why the thread was allowed to remain in the first place. "Weed is legal in Vegas" is only Jamaica-related with the word "Weed" which, as of now, is not legal in Jamaica. Maybe it could be moved to a Vegas Forum???

a jook mi tell

Peace and Guidance

[Bnewb]

I haven't asked Rob why he left this thread up...I'm guessing it's because this is a frequently asked question when ganja is discussed...primarily after a US state and/or country legalizes it (coming soon to Canada).
Loads of folks have thought changing the laws in other countries may change the amount of tourists visiting Jamaica....but, I agree with everyone here..."apples and oranges"...many, many visitors don't come here for the weed.

[Rob]

Yes, Lisa is correct. Every time a country or another State in the USA decides to change their ganja laws, this question comes up.

I thought the Vegas example was the perfect one to remain and reply to as a case of what happens when new ganja laws are implemented too quickly. The dispensaries themselves are complaining about the tourists' ability to buy but not use. A real life Catch 22.

Las Vegas is a huge Federal tax paying entity in the US. There are so many rules and regulations that comes with being America's gambling mecca that there is no way that they want their golden goose to be cooked. Or vaped.

Ganja is still illegal under US Federal Law and there are plenty of Feds in Vegas. The number of Air Marshalls there on any given night has to be staggering. And whether we like thinking about it or not, Las Vegas is a brightly lit target. The amount of Federal agents and surveillance there must be mind numbing. There are also cameras on the streets to monitor the comings and goings of everyone and anything from pretty much every angle. An unfortunate reality in today's world and Las Vegas has been doing an amazing job! Unless you think they are leaving it all to Lady Luck (I was never lucky in that place.)

Anyone who has spent time in the Vegas casinos even decades ago can attest to the ratio of actual gambling visitors to the incredible number of hired security of all ages, races and appearances. The casinos now employ the best facial/body/voice/? recognition software available anywhere. Ocean's Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen were just movies.

Jamaica is taking a more measured approach. The present decriminalization of small amounts is a perfect start. It does not really change anything, other than allow those who were smoking previously from looking over their shoulder. I have yet to hear of an actual ticket being issued for a spliff since the law changed. Medicinal laws are already being finalized with pharmaceuticals being developed. And learning from other places, such as Colorado, Amsterdam (which changed their laws) and Nevada (which needs to change their laws) will help Jamaica craft their laws using hindsight and prevent the legal impasse that has happened in other places.

I hope this will put this issue to rest. Whynot's question has served a good purpose.

Ganja has been around forever and some many people use it and many others do not. So come to Jamaica and feel alright and dont worry about a thing!

[Whynot]

Thanks Rob,I don't see the need for "hysteria" ? I just thought some young groups who are not that Jamaica crazy but just want to party may have chosen a 2 hour flight to Vegas instead of 4 hours & go through customs if they were coming from western or middle America or say Canada.

If you flip the conversation I say that due to the many storms in the Caribbean, Florida etc,that many will cancel and now go to Jamaica. I know I have a Key West trip for December and a Jamaica coming up in May I was going to cancel KW and just go twice to Negril but somehow Key West didn't get hit that bad?

[Rob]

Whynot,

No worries. I am sure when Canada legalizes it, the question will be asked again.

And btw, Canadians going to Vegas have to go through US Customs.

It is sad to see the damage Irma caused. Having been through every hurricane that has hit or skirted Jamaica since Gilbert, the damage Irma caused hits home.

And Maria is already headed to some of the same islands that Irma hit, this is almost too much to imagine. This is not the way we want to have a tourism increase. Pray for those in Maria's path.

[Marblehead]

Six months before my retirement, I went to my last professional conference at Aria in Vegas. I got in late on a Saturday and stood on line while the handful of desk agents waited on other guests. Some were guests seemed to be not happy and were mildly fuming. "Soon come", I told myself. An agent waved me up to the desk. "Let's see if we can find you room." What? There are 4,000 rooms at Aria! The agent fussed and mumbled something to the effect that "you're going to like your room."

Alll they had left was what she called a Sky Suite. She handed me a map so I could find the special Sky Suite elevators. They were right around the corner from the heart of the casino. After clearing security and riding the non-stop elevator to the 50th floor, I presented my key card to the proximity reader and the door swung open, the lights aome up, smooth jazz started playing and the curtains started to open. The view of Vegas at 11pm on a Saturday was spectacular. There were two huge bedrooms with adjoining baths: jacuzzi, two sinks, rain forest shower/steam room, walk in closet with slippers and robes and a "real" throne room with $10K toilet (heated seat, wash you front and back, blow dry). There was also a large living room and bar/dining room with a dozen chairs at the table. Sixty inch LED HD TV's in every room except the baths. That was disappointing.

I had never fallen into such a lap of luxury in my life, but I'd still take any room at Blue Cave Castle over a Sky Suite at Atria or any other resort in Vegas. The difference? It's easier to get to Jamaica and when you get there, you're not in Vegas!

[SVW]

True Bnewb-I don't smoke anything but keep coming back to Jamaica for so many other reasons.

[Whynot]

Conflicting opinions spark conversation....