The department discovered the contaminated marijuana after it failed another independent laboratory’s secondary microbial test. The closure came after previous incidents of inaccurate lab reports and amidst arguments for stricter regulations.

Fifteen percent of high schoolers in Nevada reported they had vaped in 2017, compared with less than 7 percent who said they had smoked cigarettes during that time period. The Southern Nevada Health District has reported five vaping-related lung illness cases in the last three months, including that of a 19-year-old College of Southern Nevada student who had to be put into an induced coma and on a ventilator to breathe, Ford said.

A woman’s daily use of marijuana while pregnant was shown to cause multiple health problems for her infant, such as an increased risk of low birth weight, low resistance to infections, and decreased oxygen levels.

The Nevada Department of Taxation announced on Thursday that in addition to the financial penalty for the Category II violation, it had also suspended Certified Ag Labs for a 30-day period that started on Nov. 18. The agency previously declined to confirm whether the lab was suspended.

Will Adler, executive director of the marijuana testing lab association Scientists for Consumer Safety, called last week for action against labs that appear to be fudging results on the levels of THC within their products. But told about the division’s staffing statistics, he called the situation “brutal” and said he doubted the agency could pull off the crackdown he envisioned in its current state.

Scientists for Consumer Safety, a group that represents four of the state’s 11 independent testing labs, is asking for the state to provide names to go along with data about lab results and punish any labs that are proferring inaccurate readings for their customers.

At the opening sessions of the Marijuana Business Conference & Expo (MJBizCon) on Wednesday, business leaders and industry stakeholders discussed achievements, roadblocks in the legal marijuana industry nationwide.

Regulators have not budged on their bright line. But the casino sector has still left its mark on the cannabis industry — its veterans are filling out the leadership teams of marijuana companies, and its regulatory regime is the model that the state hopes to emulate for cannabis.

In an interview with KLAS Channel 8 reporter Steve Sebelius that was posted online Thursday, Sisolak avoided taking a black-or-white position on the proposed ballot question to create a seven-member redistricting committee for the state, but raised concerns that the mere process of politicians appointing members to the commission would be political and raise questions about the commission’s independence.

It was legalized through the federal government’s 2018 Farm Bill, but banks encountering hemp customers have continued to follow the protocols they use for marijuana companies, including reporting their activity to the federal government through suspicious activity reports (SARs) even if state law makes marijuana legal.

Collings said the department "is unaware of anyone who has been harmed or experienced an adverse reaction due to the inaccurate THC levels reported" but still urges caution.

There has never been a formal proclamation from the Bar or Supreme Court giving a clear blessing to investment in the industry. But neither has a feared crackdown materialized, and lawyers are increasingly public about their participation.

“So you want to rely on people who know how to get you where you want to go.," said Rebecca Gasca, a lobbyist and owner with Wendovera LLC. "They have the compass. They’re the compass holders. You’re the boat. And you trust them. And it makes sense because you haven’t been in their shoes.”

Yemenidjian alleges that Spirtos has accused him of criminal activity to other people, including lobbyist and former Assembly Speaker John Oceguera during an encounter at Gov. Steve Sisolak’s inaugural ball.

The widespread involvement of attorneys wasn’t — and still isn’t — clear-cut, considering marijuana remains illegal at the federal level.

Records offer a glimpse of the challenges that will lie ahead as Nevada once again overhauls its marijuana regulation next year and adopts an oversight regime not unlike the one that reined casinos into a respected mainstream.

Auditors recommended the state increase transparency in its application process, including having a more open dialogue with applicants about requirements in the scoring process. Sisolak said the lack of a public forum for such discussion was “troublesome,” citing revelations from court proceedings this summer that some applicants received guidance on the scoring criteria in private dinners with regulators.

Deonne Contine, the director of the Nevada Department of Administration who is best known for her role in rolling out the state’s recreational marijuana program, is resigning from her position less than a year after being appointed, citing family obligations.