By: Lucas M Thomas | thespectrum.com

That’s the start for Nevada’s “early start program” for recreational marijuana sales.

As the Silver State enacts the will of its voters — Nevadans approved recreational marijuana with 54 percent of the vote on Question 2 last November — it will initially be done in limited fashion allowing only existing medical marijuana establishments who are found to be in good standing and operational to sell recreational marijuana on July 1.

More: Q&A: What you need to know about medical marijuana

By early 2018, the Nevada Department of Taxation, the state’s recreational marijuana governing entity, will reopen the application process as regulations become more permanent.

“We’re kind of rolling out the known players who have a track record of following the rules and they’re in compliance, kind of opening in that limited way and then kind of expanding from there,” said Stephanie Klapstein, public information officer for the department of taxation.

That includes Deep Roots Medical, Mesquite’s medical marijuana dispensary, which has applied for a retail license with the department of taxation. Dispensary manager Scott Bowles told the Desert Valley Times that Deep Roots is prepared to begin selling recreational marijuana next month.

“I don’t foresee any hang-ups at this point,” Bowles said. “We’ve done everything we could to be ready for July 1st, and we’re anticipating July 1.”

Establishments applying for retail licenses were required to submit applications by the end of May. Klapstein said the department has 90 days to decide on an application upon receiving it, but added she doesn’t foresee approving licenses as a hurdle for the July 1 rollout.

“Essentially, anyone who meets the requirements that we’ve laid out in the regulations, we’ve defined ‘in good standing’ and ‘operational,’ if they meet those requirements they will be issued a license,” Klapstein said.

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