Pubdate: Wed, 24 Dec 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: Brian Bennett
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n932/a08.html

WHY DELAY POT REGULATION?

Gov. Walker wants to extend the timeline for marijuana regulation. 
Grace Jang is quoted as saying the "new industry will require 
regulatory infrastructure that Alaska has to create from scratch ..." 
(ADN Dec. 20).

Three thoughts:

1. The Alaska Department of Law lists the minutes from the 
Constitutional Convention, which took all of 72 days to complete. 
Voters have given the Legislature nine months.

2. Why start from scratch? There are four other examples already on 
the books: Oregon, Washington, Colorado and Alaska alcohol. Alaska is 
not them but we're close enough to start from their efforts. Think 
they have forgotten some little nook or cranny; it will be easier to 
identify if you don't start from scratch. The topics and subtopics ad 
nauseam are known, the outline is there. Four big flip charts and an 
outlined fifth ought to do it.

3. Nobody complained about the time frame before the ballot. Any 
legislator who didn't start thinking about this the day the 
initiative made the ballot hasn't been listening or doing their job. 
Lobbyists on both sides certainly have. If you cannot do the job, get 
out of the way for those who can.

- - Brian Bennett

Anchorage
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom