Pubdate: Mon, 20 Oct 2014
Source: Alaska Dispatch News (AK)
Copyright: 2014 Alaska Dispatch Publishing
Contact:  http://www.adn.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/18
Note: Anchorage Daily News until July '14
Author: Deborah Williams

ALASKA SHOULD LOOK TO COLORADO'S POT LAW

There is a crystal ball to look into regarding marijuana legalization 
and commercialization, and it is Colorado - not Washington.

Ballot Measure 2 is almost identical to the initiative Colorado 
passed and far different than the one Washington passed.

Colorado has fully implemented its initiative, and now there are more 
marijuana stores in Denver than Starbucks and McDonald's stores 
combined. Washington has only started to implement its law, and only 
19 percent of its stores have been approved.

Alaskans need to know about what is going on in Colorado and ask is 
this what we want in Alaska? In Colorado, there's increased 
homelessness, increased overall crime, increased alcohol use, 
increased marijuana DUIs, increased marijuana disciplinary actions in 
schools, increased public consumption and second-hand marijuana 
smoke, several marijuana-related deaths, child-friendly marijuana 
edibles, commercialized marijuana concentrates (like shatter and 
crumble), increased butane hash oil explosions and extensive 
marijuana advertising.

Over 98 percent of the funds pushing the marijuana commercialization 
initiative in Alaska have come from the Lower 48. For the sake of our 
future and our children's future, we can say no to this extreme, 
costly outside funded initiative.

- - Deborah Williams

Big Marijuana, Big Mistake

Anchorage
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom