JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - A state senator said she supports creating a new board to oversee regulation of the marijuana industry in Alaska. Marijuana will be one of the issues facing lawmakers when they convene next month after voters passed a law legalizing and regulating recreational use of pot. The measure, which takes effect early next year, allows lawmakers to create a marijuana control board rather than assign oversight responsibilities to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. The incoming chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Lesil McGuire, said she plans to file legislation that would allow the substances to be managed separately. [continues 203 words]
FAIRBANKS -- The biggest change in the semi-legal status of marijuana in Alaska in 40 years goes into effect in less than three months. Lighting up in public will remain illegal and subject to a fine of up to $100, but as of Feb. 24, it will be OK under state law for adults to possess or transport an ounce of marijuana and to consume marijuana in private. "What the law is very clear about is no consuming in public. That's going to be against the law. We don't know yet what 'public' is going to be," Fairbanks North Star Borough Assistant Attorney Wendy Doxey told elected officials and the public in an overview of the new law this week. [continues 623 words]
FAIRBANKS - Alaskans - and Fairbanksans in particular - voted to to legalize the possession, use, cultivation and sale of marijuana this year, but just how the business side of things will play out statewide and locally will be decided in the next many months. Even though, under Ballot Measure 2, pot stores won't be able to open their doors until 2016, local lawmakers got an early jump on the issue Tuesday night. An intergovernmental town hall hosted by the Fairbanks North Star Borough, the city of Fairbanks and the city of North Pole drew a diverse audience to the Pioneer Park Centennial Center to hear from the community and discuss what the three governments might want to do about marijuana businesses. [continues 808 words]
FAIRBANKS - The election is finished, but the debate over legalized marijuana remains as contentious as ever. About 20 local elected officials from the three governments in the Fairbanks area spent Tuesday night hearing arguments for and against allowing commercial marijuana establishments. No legislators attended the session, an absence noted by Fairbanks North Star Borough Mayor Luke Hopkins. "I don't think any of us are sure what the state Legislature is going to do, how they're going to move into this," Hopkins said. [continues 338 words]
With the passage of Ballot Measure 2 last month, a new industry has opened up in Alaska for entrepreneurs looking to cash in on cannabis. Recreational marijuana will be legalized in Alaska on Feb. 24, and the green rush has already begun. Three trade shows are planned for Anchorage this spring. Cannabis associations are taking shape. And entrepreneurs are anxious for the regulatory process to begin, as the laws will ultimately define what marijuana businesses look like in Alaska. Attorney advice [continues 924 words]
A few weeks ago, an Anchorage Assembly member from Eagle River declared that she was going to ask the Assembly to consider having Anchorage opt out of becoming a retail destination for Alaskans seeking to buy marijuana. A community may "opt out" under the new marijuana law, and I like this provision of the law. I do not live in Anchorage, and do not smoke. I do wonder why the Assembly member is not also going to ask the Assembly to "opt out" of selling alcohol. Schoolchildren walking down the sidewalk are killed by drunk drivers, hundreds of intoxicated people confront the police in the streets during the middle of the night, and drunks panhandle on the street corners. So much tax money is wasted on alcohol ... but alcohol is OK in Anchorage? - - Nicholas Cassara Palmer [end]
Three ballot measures adopted by Alaska voters this month were certified Wednesday afternoon by Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell, the Alaska Division of Elections announced in a short press release. "The election is a wrap," elections director Gail Fenumiai said after the announcement. The certification begins the 90-day countdown to the enactment of three ballot measures passed by Alaska voters on Nov. 4: Ballot Measure 2, which legalizes recreational marijuana; Ballot Measure 3, with increases Alaska's minimum wage; and Ballot Measure 4, which enables the Legislature to prohibit some large-scale mining projects in the Bristol Bay watershed. The ballot measures go into effect Feb. 24. That means recreational marijuana use will be legalized on that day, and the minimum wage in Alaska will increase from $7.75 per hour to $8.75 per hour. [end]
The Alaska Public Offices Commission on Wednesday rejected Anchorage marijuana activist Charlo Greene's objection to a subpoena, giving the agency the authority to continue its investigation into whether she violated campaign finance law. Greene challenged the commission's request that she provide it with documents and information related to an IndieGogo fundraising campaign she conducted this fall. APOC requested the information to see whether or not Greene accepted contributions or made expenditures or communications related to Ballot Measure 2, an initiative legalizing recreational marijuana in Alaska. Greene contends the agency has no authority over her records and said Wednesday she would not be complying with the subpoena. [continues 429 words]
FAIRBANKS - The three local governing bodies in the Fairbanks North Star Borough will hold a special public forum Tuesday about the new voter-approved law legalizing the growing, possession and sale of marijuana in Alaska. The Borough Assembly and the Fairbanks and North Pole city councils will host the special inter-governmental work session at the Pioneer Park Civic Center beginning at 6 p.m. Ballot Measure 2 passed with 53 percent of the vote in the Nov. 4 election, making Alaska the fourth state to legalize the sale of marijuana in the last several years. Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell certified the election result on Wednesday. [continues 509 words]
To the editor: It is with some regret that I see today that the state of Alaska is not going to suspend its ongoing prosecution for marijuana violations. I know the law legalizing marijuana isn't in effect yet. I know that the people who will be prosecuted stand accused of having broken a law. I get it. Break the law, there are consequences. Blah, blah, blah. Phooey. The "war on drugs" is a colossal waste of resources. It does not stop anyone from using drugs. But it does an excellent job of putting people behind bars. Every arrest for marijuana, every attempt at prosecution for marijuana, every incarceration for marijuana is money that we don't have down the drain. [continues 117 words]
The latest vote on marijuana hasn't even been certified yet and one of the Anchorage assembly members, Amy Demboski (most notably positioning herself for a run at mayor), is introducing a resolution to circumvent the people's majority vote of "Yes" on the marijuana issue. Our democratic process is in danger of going up in smoke (pardon the pun). - - Rory Spurlock Anchorage [end]
Amy Demboski, please stop. The election results haven't even been certified and yet you want Anchorage to opt out of commercial marijuana. A majority of Alaskans have decided to end the failure of prohibition, but you want to continue with the campaign of fear and misinformation. Why should Anchorage opt out? There is no reasonable justification. Not one. Marijuana is proven to be safer than alcohol, tobacco and caffeine yet these are all sold in Anchorage. You are on the wrong side of history. Don't take us down with you. - - Andrew Dowd Anchorage [end]
FAIRBANKS - One of the Alaska's top prosecutors said the state will continue to prosecute people for possessing and selling marijuana for the time being, despite a pending voter-approved law to legalize small amounts of pot. "We are not blind or oblivious to the fact that there is a change coming, but the change is not here yet," said John Skidmore, director of the criminal division for the Alaska Department of Law. "We did communicate to our folks that right now it is business as usual," he said. "We are evaluating what to do in the future." [continues 351 words]
The general election results legalizing marijuana in Alaska haven't even been certified yet but one member of the Anchorage Assembly wants to make sure the municipality is out front when it comes to opting out of the measure. Assembly member and mayoral candidate Amy Demboski of Eagle River plans to introduce an ordinance Tuesday that, if passed, would ban commercial marijuana establishments in Alaska's largest city. The Assembly approved a resolution in September opposing Ballot Measure 2; however, there were concerns from the Assembly that it was inappropriate to issue an opinion on a ballot measure. [continues 758 words]
To the editor: I noticed during the recent election season a disturbing bias by the News-Miner editorial staff. Specifically, this was related to the campaign to legalize marijuana, but now I suspect it occurs on other important issues. What occurred to me during this period was I only saw negative stories about marijuana being published. In fairness, there were pro and con letters to the editor that were printed, but it seemed most guest-contributed articles were from those opposed to Ballot Measure 2, such as that submitted by the Archbishop under a large header. I never did see the editor actually come out with an official position - - it was primarily done by omission. [continues 356 words]
The passage of Ballot Measure 2, legalizing marijuana possession, use and sale is now a mathematical certainty. In fact, as first noted by a Daily News-Miner reader, the measure received more affirmative votes than any statewide candidate, though it was outperformed by the other two statewide ballot measures. While a 53 percent to 47 percent result isn't a landslide, the will of Alaskans is clear. With that in mind, state and local officials should work diligently during the next several months in studying the marijuana issue and drafting a sensible framework of regulations that will help the state derive maximum benefit and do all it can to avoid the pitfalls associated with legalization. [continues 537 words]
Alaska voters approved Ballot Measure 2 on Nov. 4, effectively legalizing recreational marijuana in Alaska. But even though the law is still months from taking effect, there are big questions about what exactly will be legal. One of the major issues to be resolved is transportation of marijuana via air and water to the many Alaska communities that are off the main road system. With federal law governing much of that travel, the legality of transporting small amounts of marijuana that way is in question. [continues 459 words]
Alaska officials are still trying to determine whether Anchorage marijuana activist Charlo Greene violated campaign finance laws. After more than a month of back and forth with Greene, the Alaska Public Offices Commission will hold a hearing next week to review whether it has the authority to subpoena Greene for records related to fundraising for the Alaska Cannabis Club. Greene abruptly quit her job as a television reporter live on air to devote herself to fighting for "freedom and fairness" in marijuana reform, revealing herself to be the president and CEO of the Alaska Cannabis Club, a group looking to connect marijuana with medical marijuana patients -- and on which she had reported without disclosing her connection. [continues 951 words]
The University of Alaska is reminding students and staff regardless of marijuana legalization in Alaska, when it comes to school policies, nothing is changing. A memo sent Tuesday evening emphasized while Alaska voters appear to have passed Ballot Measure 2, the law legalizing recreational marijuana in Alaska, federal law remains unchanged. The university, as a recipient of federal funds, has to comply with the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act and the Drug-Free Workplace Act. According to the memo, distributed by UA's general counsel, failure to comply with federal law could jeopardize the university's continued ability to receive federal funding. [continues 623 words]
So, will a Ganja Garden be allowed at the Girdwood Forest Fair? They allow a beer garden! Stick that in your pipe and smoke it. - -- Don Malherek Anchorage [end]
Inside Alaska
