F1 Drivers Notice ‘Extreme’ Marijuana Smell in Las Vegas Air

^{Outside of Caesars Palace on F1 Practicce Day. Pretty much any and all open-air areas in Las Vegas now smell like a 1970s rock concert. (Image: Dan Michalski / Casinos.com)}

The issue of marijuana in Las Vegas has come up again and this time in a very global news kind of way, with several F1 drivers describing the smell of cannabis in the desert air as ‘extreme.’

Those most vocal about it included Max Verstappen, who sealed his fourth consecutive World Drivers’ Championship on Saturday with a 5th-place finish in the Las Vegas Grand Prix.  

"I was quite high in the car," Verstappen joked at a press conference. "It's not ideal because you can also smell it while driving and it's quite extreme."

Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez echoed those complaints, saying the smell of marijuana “is very noticeable around the track … I’m tired of it already. The amount is incredible. It’s something all the drivers will definitely talk about.”

Williams wunderkind Franco Colapinto concurred. "Yes, there was a smell of weed. If they dope [test] the drivers now, I think we'll all test positive. When we all test positive, there will be a mess."

Weed Revenue vs. Reality 

The issue of legalized marijuana in Las Vegas has been controversial ever since it came into effect in 2017. Nevada law states you can only purchase it at regulated dispensaries, and initial arguments in favor of that revolved around powering greater funding for schools. 

Indeed, the Nevada Department of Taxation reported that cannabis tax revenue was $120 million in 2024 and $133 million in 2023.

However, the reality is that even such huge figures are failing to make a dent in state plans, according to Amanda Morgan, executive director of Educate Nevada Now. 

"The unfortunate reality is we are shorting our public education system by the billions,”  she told KSNV News 3. “So when you start talking about tens of millions, or even $100 million, we're still quite a bit away from adequately funding our students."

And if it’s not serving the purpose for which the legislation was designed, whether or not the damage it causes to the Las Vegas experience is worth it becomes a serious question. 

Casino Contact Highs

The ubiquitous smell of weed on the Strip and Downtown is regularly cited in discussions about what tourists dislike most about Las Vegas, and it only seems to be getting worse every year. Certainly, it wasn’t something that any of the Formula 1 drivers publicly complained about in 2023.

Crucially, despite Las Vegas bucking national trends and steadfastly refusing growing calls to restrict smoking, Cannabis is not permitted in casinos. That is unlikely to change any time soon. 

“What it really comes down to is what the regulators tell you to do, you’re going to do,” UNLV adjunct gaming law professor Jennifer Roberts explained. “And regulators have long told us in the gaming world that cannabis and gaming should not mix.”

Meanwhile, advocates of legalized marijuana argue that if alcohol is permitted when gambling, so should cannabis. Certainly, if it’s about protecting the individual from their own relaxed inhibitions, it’s a fair point to make, especially since casinos hand out complimentary alcoholic drinks to gamblers. 

The main difference, though, is that you can drink alcohol without it directly affecting anyone else – and the main criticism of marijuana in Las Vegas, as evidenced by the F1 drivers’ remarks, is that it is negatively impacting the experience of others. 

Pot Smell Is Everywhere

“It certainly impacts my enjoyment of Las Vegas,” fellow Casinos.com contributor and frequent Vegas visitor Lynsey Thompson explained. “Especially when going out for dinner or drinks. I don’t want that smell accompanying my food, thanks.

“I’ve even had to move hotel rooms before because the smell has been overpowering. The smell of marijuana in Las Vegas has definitely seen an escalation in the last couple of years.

“It used to be more prominent in Downtown Vegas or in the more budget properties on the Strip. But these days it’s present everywhere whether you’re walking on the Strip or staying in a prestigious resort.

“It’s something that does seem to be getting out of control, but I’m not sure what can be done to stop it?”

In truth, trying to stop it doesn’t even seem to be on the agenda of anyone with the influence to achieve it. That said, drivers advertising the problem to a global audience are also unlikely to have been on the wish list of anyone in Las Vegas when they partnered up with F1 either.