Pubdate: Wed, 05 Feb 2014
Source: USA Today (US)
Copyright: 2014 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc
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Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/466
Author: William M. Welch

ALASKA MOVES TOWARD AUGUST VOTE ON LEGAL POT

Alaska could be the next state to reconsider the prohibition on
marijuana, following legalization votes by Colorado and Washington
last year.

Alaska elections officials posted data Tuesday showing that a petition
for a statewide vote on marijuana legalization has gained enough
signatures and met legal thresholds needed to put the issue before
voters.

Under Alaska law, the petition when officially certified would appear
on the Aug. 19 primary ballot. No formal opposition to the initiative
has emerged thus far.

Taylor Bickford, spokesman for an Anchorage-based organization that is
behind the ballot drive, said that though petitions are still being
counted, the state has reported 31,593 signatures are qualified, more
than the 30,169 needed.

"Based on the Division of Elections numbers, it appears Alaskans will
have the opportunity to replace failed policies of marijuana
prohibition with a system where marijuana is regulated and taxed like
alcohol,'' Bickford said.

Mason Tvert, communications director for the Marijuana Policy Project,
which is pushing to drop legal bans on marijuana, said Alaska was
poised to become the third state to vote to legalize pot. He pointed
to independent polling from a year ago showing a majority of Alaskans
surveyed supported making marijuana legal, along with regulation and
taxation.

The plant with psychoactive properties remains illegal under federal
law, which classifies marijuana in a list of banned drugs along with
heroin and other narcotics.

"Voters are quickly coming to realize that marijuana is not remotely
as harmful as they were once led to believe,'' Tvert said. "If voters
take an objective look at the evidence, they will likely arrive at the
conclusion that marijuana prohibition has been just as wasteful and
problematic as alcohol prohibition.''

The Alaska initiative is in line with those approved by voters in
Colorado and Washington last year and would make it legal for adults
21 and older to possess up to an ounce of pot and as many as six
plants. It would place regulation of sales in the hands of the state
alcohol control board or a new marijuana control board, if the
legislature establishes one.

Bickford said dropping marijuana prohibition is in line with Alaska
voters' preference for personal freedom.

"Alaskans are watching what's happening in those states and
understanding that the sky is not falling,'' he said.

While the outcome has not yet been officially certified, Bickford said
there are still some 6,000 signatures yet to be counted. The campaign
submitted more than 46,000 signatures on Jan. 8.

"Based on the numbers we're seeing today we know Alaskans will have
the chance to vote on this in August,'' he said.
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