420 Deferred – Nevada NORML 420 Celebration Shut Down in Las Vegas
By Mike Gianakos
Las Vegas, Nevada tends to be thought of as a place where anything
goes; or, at least, a place with a history of keeping moral sentiment
separate from economic opportunism. Gambling is legal and prevalent. So
is prostitution. In November of 2006 Nevada voters narrowly defeated a
bill calling for the regulation and decriminalization of marijuana that
would have established the nation’s first system of legal cultivation
and distribution.
Given the town’s history, the possibility of impending conflict with
city officials never occurred to event organizers when Nevada NORML
(National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) announced
their 420 celebration would be held in Sin City.
According to the Web site nevadanorml.org, the Vegas 420 Music Fest
would be held at the swanky Ice House Lounge in Las Vegas and was to
feature marijuana law reform speakers, over 50 musical acts and be
hosted by Puck of MTV’s The Real World.
In advance of the event, a letter sent to Ice House Lounge from a group
called Las Vegas Concerned Parents & Citizens (LVCPC) requested the
immediate cancellation of the Vegas 420 Fest.
According to Nevada NORML, the letter advised, “If we see no indication
of cancellation, legal proceedings will take place in which "a citizen
watch" will be done for the next 90 days, you will be reported to the
City and State for review, and the police will be alerted for any
illegal happenings at your facility. For precautions, all concerned
parents are keeping their children at close watch during that weekend
as not to have them attend such a festival. The children will miss the
music due to promotions of marijuana.”
Additionally, Nevada NORML executive director Beth Soloe, told HIGH
TIMES, “The Ice House received a petition with thirty signatures as
well demanding they stop the event.”
Despite the objections of the LVCPC, the event was not cancelled.
However, the day before the Vegas 420 Music Fest was to take place,
NORML learned the permit allowing them to hold portions of the event
outdoors had been denied. Organizers then announced the entirety of the
event would be moved indoors at the Ice House Lounge, believing they’d
already obtained the necessary credentials.
The following day NORML founder and slated marijuana law reform
speaker Keith Stroup arrived in Las Vegas. According to Mr. Stroup,
“When we arrived on April 20th, and the early bands were already
playing inside the Ice House, we were advised that the city inspectors
had been there earlier and had advised everyone that (1) no exhibitors
would be allowed; (2) no one would be permitted to sell anything; (3)
advocacy literature would not be permitted to be distributed without a
special license; and (4) no one would be permitted to advocate for any
political position without first getting a special license from the
city.”
City officials returned later that morning and reportedly informed
the sponsors that a special permit would be required to continue the
event indoors due to the number of bands participating in the two day
event exceeding the established norm for the venue.
Mr. Stroup believes the requirement of such “special licenses” was
intended to impede the group from exercising Constitutional rights of
free speech and assembly based on the underlying subject matter of the
event. “The requirements were content specific; if we had been
advocating for safer streets or a raise in the minimum wage, I’m sure
we would have had no such requirement,” Mr. Stroup said. He added, “It
was absolutely based on the message that there is nothing wrong with
the responsible use of marijuana by adults; they rejected that message
and were determined not to permit the event to occur.”
According to Stroup, consideration was given to addressing the
crowd and handing out NORML literature in defiance of the city’s
warnings. However, Ice House Lounge management was reportedly informed
the club could be shut down for a minimum of thirty days if city
inspectors returned hours later to find the event still in progress.
Soon after the Vegas 420 Music Fest was canceled.
A call to Las Vegas City Attorney Brad Jerbic and email to Ice House Lounge for comment were not immediately returned.
The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws has not ruled out legal action against the city of Las Vegas. |
2007-04-26
2007-04-25
