title: janet reno first female us attorney general dies at
text: las vegas may become the new amsterdam  
  high times 
  nevada already has legal brothels roundtheclock casinos and a coy catchphrase declaring that what happens in vegas stays in vegas if voters approve the state could soon add another vice in the form of recreational marijuana 
  a proposal on the nov  state ballot would legalize pot and entrepreneurs hope its passage could someday allow the drug at las vegas glamorous nightclubs and perhaps provide the framework for a future amsterdamstyle cannabis district 
  i really think this would be the thirdlargest market in the country said derek peterson whose company operates medical marijuana dispensaries called blum he predicts that only california and new york would offer a bigger customer base than las vegas and its  million tourists a year i think it should be able to fit in really well with the whole dayclubnightclub thing 
  nevada has allowed medical marijuana since  and peterson sees recreational pot as an alternative for visitors tired of cocktails that can top  apiece and inflict hangovers but before waitresses begin delivering highgrade marijuana at clubs along the las vegas strip weed proponents will have to win over not just voters who narrowly support the initiative in polls but a riskaverse casino industry 
  the nevada resort association came out against the measure pointing to an opinion from gambling regulators that casino owners should avoid the marijuana industry because the substance remains illegal under federal law las vegas sands owner sheldon adelson has bankrolled most of the opposition pouring  million of his fortune into a campaign that raises the possibility that small children could become intoxicated from candylike marijuana edibles 
  adelson also has contributed  million in arizona and massachusetts a significant share of all antimarijuana donations there 
  adelson whose son died of a drug overdose and whose wife is a doctor specializing in drug addiction has donated millions toward efforts to defeat medical marijuana proposals in florida and other states in years past 
  other casino operators have joined the fray but to a lesser extent 
  in spite of its libertine reputation the rigorously regulated casino industry is known to err on the conservative side to avoid scandalizing the middleaged tourists who are its bread and butter 
  i dont know that this is a game changer in terms of tourism virginia valentine president of the nevada resort association said of marijuanas potential were really known for other things you may attract people or turn them off 
  the las vegas convention and visitors authority which promotes sin citys amenities to the world is neutral on the issue 
  clyde barrow a gambling expert who chairs the political science department at the university of texasrio grande valley suggests the donations may indicate the casino companies are acting in their own best interests 
  the marijuana industry is emerging as another form of recreation and entertainment given the casino industrys difficulties attracting millennials marijuana is probably perceived as a direct competitor with casinos for entertainment dollars he said another reason is that legalized marijuana competes with alcohol and to that extent competes with the food and beverage sales at casinos 
  theres no solid statesponsored research on how legal recreational marijuana has affected tourism in places that have legalized it although both sides point to colorado to make their case 
  promarijuana interests cite a state study that found colorado set an alltime tourism record in  capping a fifth year of growth its unclear how much of that is due to weed and how much can be chalked up to other factors such as good snow in recent years relative to competing ski states 
  marijuana opponents refer to a report from the visit denver tourism bureau that logged increasing complaints about panhandling and open marijuana consumption in the citys downtown corridor 
  denver is losing visitors and valuable convention business as a result of these overall safety or perception of safety issues the report said we fear not being able to brand denver away from this growing reputation 
  nevadas ballot initiative would not allow municipalities to put blanket bans on marijuana as colorado does but it would bar consumption in buildings that are open to the public and permit local governments to restrict the locations of marijuana dispensaries and related businesses it effectively blocks people from growing their own by banning the practice within  miles of a licensed marijuana store