Gaming board opens info gateway
Surge unleashed by Wynn prompts creation of public portal for transmission
Spurred by an overwhelming number of telephone calls regarding the Steve Wynn investigation, the state Gaming Controlboardonmondayset up a portal on its website to receive information on active ▶ reviewjournal.com/news-tips
board investigations.
The portal, on the Control Board’s website, was activated just before 2 p.m. Monday. It’s accessible at http://gaming. nv.gov/.
Control Board Chairwoman Beckyharrissaidmonday that while the system is not specific to any particular licensee, its establishment was spurred by phone calls to board offices regarding regulators’ investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against the former Wynn Resortschairmanandceo.
Wynn stepped down from those positions the night of Feb. 6, but regulators in Nevada, Massachusetts and
WYNN
Vargas can sell his products to customers without any required paperwork and has built a lounge for customers to try products on site.
His lounge includes yellow crescent-shaped chairs and video gamesforcustomerstoplay.soon his store will sell Cbd-infused smoothies as a way to attract fitness-minded customers.
Vargas sells his products only to people 18 and older.
“The store is attracting real people with real medical issues,” Vargas said.“we’veseencustomersfrom asfarasoverton.”
Vargas himself first tried CBD oil about three years ago to help with anxietyheexperiencesthatstems from almost eight years in the Navy, he said.
He has about 20 employees between the store, administration and a manufacturing building near
the North Las Vegas Airport. Vargas’ daughter, Nahtaly, 18, runs operations. A group of about eight workers extracts the oil from industrial hemp delivered from a Denver farm. The workers package the products and ship them to customers worldwide.
Because the oil is not regulated as a medicine by the Food and Drug Administration, sellers exist in a “buyer beware” market, said Kevin Sabet, an anti-marijuana activist.
Sabet’snationalgroup,smartapproaches to Marijuana, hammered Nevada last year in part over what he called weak restrictions on marijuana edibles and concentrates.
He said he supports an FDA move to approve CBD oil as a medication later this year. In the meantime, customers should be cautious in general about what’s inside the
CBD oil products they buy, he said.
“CBD has medical value but only when properly dosed and controlled,” he said. “Wild claims made by non-fda-approved companies
pose risks to Americans. This sounds a lot more like snake oil thanmedicine.”
Juliana Whitney, a local marijuana business consultant, said CBD products have grown in popularity since Nevada legalized marijuana.
Vargas’ business is rare for focusing solely on CBD. Most businesses she consults with will sell CBD products in addition to marijuana or other supplements, Whitney said.
CBD, along with low-dose edible marijuana products, has a chance to turn more people into casual users.
“It’s for people who are not trying to get as high as possible but still wantthebasichealthbenefitsofit,” Whitney said.
Vargas will hold a grand opening in March.
Contact Wade Tyler Millward at wmillward@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4602. Follow @wademillward on Twitter.