Recreational marijuana is a ‘no’ at EDC, Las Vegas police say

Attendees of the Electric Daisy Carnival at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas begin to dance at the festival Friday evening, June 17, 2016. (Elizabeth Brumley/The Las Vegas Review-Journal) @elipagephoto

Though Nevadans voted to legalize recreational marijuana last fall, the law restricts using the drug in public, and police officers won’t be giving anyone a free pass to light up this weekend at the Electric Daisy Carnival.

Metropolitan Police Department and EDC security officers will be out in force during the three-day event that starts Friday at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Before entering security, people are encouraged to drop off any illicit drugs or other items in an amnesty box outside the venue, Metro spokesman Larry Hadfield said. It’s a chance for patrons to dump anything they might get in trouble for possessing without any repercussions, he said.

“They can turn it in, and it will be safely disposed of,” Hadfield said. “So they can make a good decision.”

Though Hadfield is not allowed to specify how many officers will be on scene, he said it is a sizable number to supplement the security already provided by EDC. The overtime officers are not financed by taxpayer dollars, Hadfield said.

Each year since the event came to Las Vegas in 2011, the organizers plan for six months, looking to make sure all access points are controlled and how to better secure the event’s footprint, Hadfield said. For the estimated 135,000 patrons attending the festival, there are usually fewer than 100 arrests, he said.

Fire crews and ambulances also will be present, and EDC will have its own hospital within the compound, should an emergency arise.

“At this time, we think the heat is going to be the worst threat,” Hadfield said. “At 110, it’s going to be blistering out there.”

Contact Briana Erickson at berickson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @brianarerick on Twitter.