>> SHE HELPED SHAPE STATE LAW SURROUNDING RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.

NOW THE DIRECTOR OF UNLV'S NEW CANNABIS POLICY INSTITUTE, RIANA DURRETT IS OUR GUEST THIS WEEK ON "NEVADA WEEK IN PERSON".

>> SUPPORT FOR "NEVADA WEEK IN PERSON" IS PROVIDED BY SENATOR WILLIAM H. HERNSTADT.

>> WELCOME TO "NEVADA WEEK IN PERSON".

I'M AMBER RENEE DIXON.

AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NEVADA DISPENSARY ASSOCIATION, SHE ADVOCATED FOR QUESTION 2, THE BALLOT MEASURE THAT LEGALIZED RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA IN THE STATE.

A NEVADA NATIVE, SHE EARNED HER LAW DEGREE AT UNLV LAW SCHOOL AND RIGHT NOW SERVES AS VICE CHAIR OF THE NEVADA CANNABIS COMPLIANCE BOARD AND AS DIRECTOR OF THE UNLV CANNABIS POLICY INSTITUTE.

RIANA DURRETT, THANK YOU FOR JOINING "NEVADA WEEK IN PERSON".

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> FIRST OFF, WHY MARIJUANA?

WHY GET INVOLVED IN THIS AREA OF LAW AND PUBLIC POLICY?

>> SO WHEN I GRADUATED FROM LAW SCHOOL I DID THE TRADITIONAL PRACTICING IN A LAW FIRM.

I JUST SO HAPPENED TO TAKE ON THIS CLIENT, A BRAND-NEW TRADE ASSOCIATION, RIGHT AFTER MEDICAL SALES WERE LEGALIZED.

THE BUSINESSES WEREN'T EVEN OPEN YET, AND I JUST FOUND THE WORK FASCINATING.

SO MY CAREER TOOK A SHARP TURN, AND I'VE BEEN INVOLVED EVER SINCE.

>> WHAT ABOUT IT DID YOU FIND FASCINATING?

>> MY VERY FIRST LEGISLATIVE SESSION REPRESENTING THE BUSINESSES, I HAD INPUT ON SHAPING THE LAW.

I HAVE DRAFTED SOME LANGUAGE.

AT THE TIME SENATOR PATRICIA FARLEY HAD WORKED WITH ME ON THE LANGUAGE AND WAS REALLY EXCITED AND HELPFUL TO ME AND MY BUDDING CAREER IN CANNABIS.

AND AS AN ATTORNEY, SAYING, OH, THAT'S THE STATUTE I WORKED ON, I CAN TELL YOU MORE ABOUT IT, IT WAS VERY ALURING.

>> AND EMPOWERING, I IMAGINE.

OF THE STATE LAW THAT YOU HELPED SHAPE, WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?

PARTICULAR ASPECT?

>> OH, GOSH, IT'S BEEN QUITE A ROAD.

I VERY MUCH ENJOYED WORKING WITH THE BUSINESSES TO HELP ANTICIPATE THE NEEDS THAT THEY SAW, UPCOMING CHALLENGES THAT THEY SAW AND GET THEM KIND OF IN THE SAME PAGE AND MAKE SURE THEY HAD THE SAME MESSAGING, WORK WITH LAWMAKERS.

THERE WERE QUITE A FEW BUMPS IN THE ROAD AND THERE'S A LOT OF STORIES TO BE TOLD THERE.

>> DO YOU WANT TO TELL ANY OF THEM NOW?

WE HAVE THE TIME.

>> I GUESS ONE WOULD BE, AT ONE POINT THE ENTIRE MEDICAL FIELD WAS GOING TO BE SHUT DOWN IN THAT THERE WAS AN INTERPRETATION OF THE LAW THAT PATIENT CARDS HAD TO BE PHYSICAL CARDS.

THAT'S NOT WHAT PEOPLE WERE USING AT THE TIME.

THEY WERE USING WHAT ARE CALLED RECOMMENDATIONS FROM PHYSICIANS, NOT PRESCRIPTIONS BUT RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THERE WAS AN INTERPRETATION THAT THOSE COULD NOT BE ACCEPTED ANY LONGER.

THAT WOULD HAVE SHUT DOWN THE INDUSTRY.

SO THERE WAS A LOT OF TEAMWORK TO GET TOGETHER, GET ON THE SAME PAGE; WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE BUSINESSES WERE OPERATING ON THE SAME PLAYING FIELD -- I'M SORRY, GOING BY THE SAME SET OF RULES OF DON'T ACCEPT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, ONLY ACCEPT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND SO THROUGHOUT THE STATE THERE WAS ALL THIS TEAMWORK AND WORKING WITH POLICYMAKERS AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, AND WE CAME THROUGH AND WE SURVIVED.

THERE WERE MULTIPLE TIMES WHERE STUFF LIKE THAT HAPPENED WHERE IT WAS THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY WOULD BE SHUT DOWN IF THIS HAPPENS AND WE HAD TO WORK TOGETHER AND OVERCOME OBSTACLES.

>> WOW.

THE MANY ROLES YOU HOLD.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE NEVADA CANNABIS COMPLIANCE BOARD.

THAT BOARD MAKES SURE THAT CANNABIS COMPANIES IN THE STATE ARE FOLLOWING LAWS AND REGULATIONS.

WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT THAT POSITION OR PERHAPS CHALLENGING?

>> I THINK ONE OF THE MOST THINGS ABOUT MY POSITION WAS I WAS APPOINTED AS AN INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVE.

WHEN I FIRST STARTED, I WAS TELLING PEOPLE, NO, THAT MEANS I HAVE INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE; THAT DOESN'T MEAN I REPRESENT YOU, THE INDUSTRY.

BUT AS TIME GREW, I REALIZED I DO KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE INDUSTRY, I HAVE THE EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION AND IN THE MEANTIME I GOT AN LLM MASTER'S OF LAW IN GAMING.

I KNEW A LOT ABOUT REGULATORY APPROACHES, REGULATORY LAW, AND SO I KIND OF DEVELOPED INTO, YOU KNOW WHAT, I DO WANT TO BRING THE INDUSTRY'S VOICE TO THIS BOARD.

I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND THERE'S SO MUCH INFORMATION THAT'S NOT KNOWN ABOUT THE INDUSTRY.

SO I HAVE GROWN TO KIND OF FILL THIS INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVE ROLE.

>> MASTER'S IN GAMING LAW YOU SAID AND YOU'RE AN EXPERT IN MARIJUANA LAW.

HOW MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE EXIST OUT THERE WITH THAT KIND OF KNOWLEDGE?

>> THAT'S WHY I DID IT.

I'D SAY A DOZEN CANNABIS ATTORNEYS IN TOWN THAT HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE THE BEGINNING.

THEY REPRESENT MOST OF THE CANNABIS BUSINESSES.

SO WE HAVE A REALLY GREAT ATTORNEY CORE OF REALLY GREAT ATTORNEYS WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME.

VERY FEW OF THEM ALSO HAVE GAMING EXPERIENCE.

A HANDFUL OF THEM DO, BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHY I TOOK THE LLM IN GAMING WITH THIS CONCEPT THAT EVENTUALLY, EVENTUALLY WE'LL PROBABLY SEE CANNABIS IN GAMING AND WE'LL NEED SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS BOTH LAWS.

>> WHY CAN'T CANNABIS BE IN GAMING RIGHT NOW?

>> BECAUSE IT'S FEDERALLY ILLEGAL, OUR GORD AND GAMING CONTROL JURISDICTIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE SAID THAT PEOPLE WITH GAMING APPROVALS CAN'T DO CANNABIS-RELATED BUSINESS ACTIVITIES.

SO RIGHT NOW IT'S A NONSTARTER.

THERE'S NO CONNECTION WITH POTENTIALLY RESCHEDULING COMING DOWN THE ROAD BUT ALSO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS BACKED OFF AND SIGNALED THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO CONDUCT ENFORCEMENT IN MULTIPLE WAYS.

SO IT LOOKS LIKE EVENTUALLY -- AND THIS IS I THINK JUST -- IT'S JUST COMMON SENSE TO EXPECT EVENTUALLY THERE WILL BE PROGRESS AND THERE WILL BE CANNABIS-RELATED ACTIVITIES.

>> AND THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE MARIJUANA MAY BE BEING SOLD AT A CASINO OR A CONSUMPTION LOUNGE WHERE YOU CAN SMOKE OR HAVE AN EDIBLE, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE THINKING?

>> EXACTLY.

YES.

>> WE'LL SEE IF THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS BUT THAT'S PART OF WHAT YOU'LL BE RESEARCHING AT THE PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE.

WE COVERED IN DEPTH ON A RECENT EPISODE OF NEVADA WEEK, THE PURPOSE OF THE INSTITUTE, BUT FOR THOSE WHO DIDN'T SEE IT, WHY IS IT NEEDED?

AND WHAT'S ITS POTENTIAL?

>> UNLV HAS CREATED A CANNABIS POLICY INSTITUTE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE RESOURCES THAT ALREADY EXIST AT UNLV.

IT'S A R1 CARNEGIE CLASSIFIED INSTITUTE.

>> WHICH IS A HUGE DEAL.

>> I'M SO PROUD OF MY ALMA MATER.

EXACTLY.

WE HAVE EXCELLENT RESEARCH FACILITIES, FACULTY.

WE HAVE AN ENTIRE DIVISION OF RESEARCH.

WE HAVE EXCELLENT FACULTY.

SO THE REASON FOR CANNABIS SPECIFICALLY IS THAT THE AREA IS KIND OF OUTPACING RESEARCH AND OUTPACING PUBLIC POLICY.

AND SO BECAUSE WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO IT AND WE HAVE ALREADY SUCCESSFUL INSTITUTES, THE INTERNATIONAL GAMING INSTITUTE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CENTER FOR BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC RESEARCH, BROOKINGS MOUNTAIN WEST, WE CAN DO THIS.

AND SO LEADERSHIP AT UNLV DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE A GOOD FIT.

>> WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED TO PURSUE RESEARCH IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY?

WHAT TOPIC?

>> HOT TOPICS I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT ARE TOURISM.

OF COURSE THAT'S A NATURAL FIT FOR SOUTHERN NEVADA.

WE WILL BE DRIVING RESEARCH ON THAT.

AND THERE'S NOT MUCH.

WE'RE DOING A LITERATURE REVIEW RIGHT NOW, BUT THERE'S NOT MUCH RESEARCH ON CANNABIS TOURISM.

WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO DRIVING THAT.

LOOKING AT RESCHEDULING HOW EVENTUALLY THAT COULD BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN CANNABIS AND GAMING.

AND THEN FINALLY THE MARKETPLACE AND HOW THESE BUSINESSES ARE DOING.

I THINK THEIR STORY IS VERY UNTOLD AND THERE ARE A LOT OF MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE INDUSTRY.

I LOOK FORWARD TO DEVELOPING AND SHARING MORE POLICY INFORMATION.

ABOUT THE REALITIES OF RUNNING ONE OF THESE BUSINESSES.

>> BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IT IS?

>> THE PROFITABILITY OF THE INDUSTRY.

I HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CANNABIS DOZENS OF TIMES A WEEK.

AND TYPICALLY I GET UNVEIL, GUESS WHAT, THE INDUSTRY ISN'T MAKING MUCH MONEY OR THAT THE REALITIES OF IT ARE MUCH DIFFERENT.

IT'S A BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY IN NEVADA ALONE.

A $30 BILLION INDUSTRY IN THE COUNTRY.

BUT THEY DO PAY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TAXES.

THEY HAVE A BIGGER TAX IMPACT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND THE COSTS ARE VERY HIGH.

THE REALITIES OF THE PROFITABILITY ARE MUCH DIFFERENT THAN PEOPLE'S UNDERSTANDING.

>> WHEN YOU ARE COMING IN CONTACT WITH PEOPLE AND TELLING THEM WHAT YOU DO, WHAT ARE THEIR REACTIONS?

>> USUALLY INTEREST.

I HAVE HAD VERY LITTLE NEGATIVITY TOWARDS BEING FOCUSED IN THE SCHEDULE ONE SUBSTANCE AREA.

IT'S JUST AN INTERESTING TOPIC BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS NEW.

>> WHEN YOU SAY SCHEDULE ONE, THAT'S IN REFERENCE TO THE RESCHEDULING WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.

HEROIN IS ALSO A SCHEDULE ONE DRUG ALONG WITH MARIJUANA, WHICH IS KIND OF WILD, RIGHT?

>> IT'S UNDER THE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT IT'S LISTED AS A SCHEDULE ONE SUBSTANCE WHICH SUBSTANCES UNDER THAT SCHEDULE HAVE BEEN DETERMINED TO HAVE NO MEDICAL BENEFIT AND BE HIGHLY ADDICTIVE.

AND ANYBODY I TALK TO RECOGNIZES THAT IT DOESN'T BELONG THERE.

IT'S JUST A BIG HEAVY LIFT TO GET IT RESCHEDULED.

>> AS I MENTIONED IN THE INTRO, YOU ARE A NATIVE NEVADAN.

YOU TOLD ME YOU WERE BORN IN ELY OR YOU'RE FROM ELY ORIGINALLY, MOVED TO LAS VEGAS AT 16 YEARS OLD, AND WHY?

>> I WAS BLACKED OUT OF HERE WHEN I WAS 16.

MY MOM MOVED DOWN HERE -- I DOUBLE CHECKED WITH HER -- TO WORK ON, AT THAT TIME, SENATOR JOHN PORTER'S REELECTION CAMPAIGN.

>> WOW.

DO YOU THINK THAT INFLUENCED YOU AND YOUR FUTURE ENTRANCE INTO POLITICS?

>> YEAH, IT DEFINITELY GAVE ME A PEEK INTO IT.

SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER.

SO I THINK THAT HAS BEEN A LOT OF THE INFLUENCE ON ME OF HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING FOR HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO RUN A SMALL BUSINESS AND WANTING TO SEE THOSE THAT HAVE INVESTED IN THE INDUSTRY NOT LOSE THEIR LIFE SAVINGS, IN SOME CASES.

>> WHEN I SAY YOUR ENTRANCE INTO POLITICS, I GUESS I'M REFERRING TO WORKING ON QUESTION 2 AS PART OF THE NEVADA DISPENSARY ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS NOW THE NEVADA CANNABIS ASSOCIATION.

YOU ARE IN ON THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL OF THAT.

HOW INFLUENTIAL IS IT NOW?

>> HOW INFLUENTIAL IS THE ORGANIZATION?

>> UH-HUH.

>> I THINK THEY'RE THE PRIMARY GO-TO MOST CREDIBLE RESOURCE FOR CANNABIS INFORMATION.

THEY WORK THE MOST CLOSELY WITH THE, LARGEST AMOUNT OF BUSINESSES.

SO THEY'RE VERY ACTIVELY INVOLVED AND ACHIEVED SIGNIFICANT LEGISLATION THAT WAS GOOD FOR THE INDUSTRY LAST SESSION.

>> FOR YOU TO HAVE BEEN PART OF THAT FROM THE BEGINNING, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?

>> THAT WAS FUN, AND I CANNOT BELIEVE IT, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID THE STORES WERE NOT EVEN OPEN AT THE TIME, BUT LIKE I SAID, THAT REALLY GIVES ME MY UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE INDUSTRY'S DOING AND WANTING TO SEE IT SUCCEED FOR EVERYBODY, NOT JUST THE BUSINESSES, BUT I WANT THE STATE TO GET THE TAX REVENUE THAT THEY WERE EXPECTING OUT OF THIS.

>> YOU ALSO TOLD ME ON THE PHONE, PRIOR TO THIS INTERVIEW, YOU WORKED IN CRIMINAL LAW AND IMMIGRATION LAW PRIOR TO GETTING INTO MARIJUANA LAW AND THAT YOU LOVED BOTH OF THOSE AREAS.

AND I WONDER WHY, ESPECIALLY WITH CRIMINAL LAW, WHAT IS THERE TO LOVE ABOUT THAT?

>> OH, GOSH, YOU HAVE SOMEBODY WHO IS SO VULNERABLE AND THERE BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD GO I A LOT MORE PEOPLE COULD BE IN THIS SITUATION THAN YOU THINK.

YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE FACING THE WORST MOMENTS OF THEIR LIFE, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE -- THIS COULD BE THEIR ONLY INTERACTION WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

IT'S EXTREMELY SCARY.

I JUST FELT FOR THE PEOPLE AND WANTED TO HELP THEM OUT OF THAT SITUATION.

>> WHAT ABOUT IMMIGRATION LAW?

>> SAME THING.

AND I ACTUALLY WOULD REPRESENT CLIENTS WHO HAD CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS AND WERE FACING IMMIGRATION CONSEQUENCES.

THIS IS THE MOST VULNERABLE -- THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THEIR SIDE.

AND I WAS ABLE TO FIND SOME WAYS TO HELP THEM OUT AND REALLY HAVE POSITIVE IMPACTS.

FOR EXAMPLE, I HAD A CLIENT WHO, HIS DAUGHTER WAS SEVERELY DISABLED.

HE WAS THE ONLY PERSON TAKING CARE OF HER.

HE NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO WORK TO TAKE CARE OF HER AND I WAS ABLE TO HELP HIM AND GET HIM OUT OF THE DANGER HE WAS IN OF NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTINUE TO WORK AND TAKE CARE OF HER.

THAT'S MOST REWARDING THING YOU CAN DO.

>> AND EVERYBODY HAS A RIGHT TO A DEFENSE.

YOU'RE INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY.

SOMETIMES I THINK WE FORGET THAT.

LAST THING, LINKEDIN SAID YOU DID A INTERNSHIP WITH THE SWINOMISH TRIBE.

WHAT IMPACT DID THAT HAVE ON YOU?

>> IT WAS A LOVELY EXPERIENCE IN THAT I GOT TO SEE SUCH A COMMUNITY-ORIENTED COMMUNITY, THE TRIBE, WORKING TOGETHER.

EVERYTHING IS JUST SO COMMUNITY ORIENTED.

I WISH WE COULD ADOPT SOME OF THOSE WAYS OF LIFE OUTSIDE THE TRIBE.

>> I SO ENJOYED GETTING TO TALK WITH YOU, RIANA DURRETT.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING "NEVADA WEEK IN PERSON".

FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO PBS.org/NEVADAWEEK.