Pubdate: Tue, 21 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: Tyler Emmott
Note: Tyler Emmott is a 10-year Alaska resident and veteran who works 
in IT. He lives in Anchorage with his wife and pets.

ALASKA'S LIBERAL MARIJUANA LAWS NEED THE CLARITY THAT ONLY 
LEGALIZATION CAN BRING

When I look at the state of Alaska's current laws on cannabis, I'm 
very confused at best. As a licensed medical grower who supplies my 
own spouse with her medicine, I've had a difficult time navigating 
the medical cannabis system in this state.

I've read that I can have up to 4 ounces in my home. I've read 
somewhere else that I can only have up to one ounce.

I've read that I'm allowed to grow up to six plants in my home. I've 
read that 24 plants is an OK number.

And all of these conflicting rules say that the only way to obtain 
the plant is via some plant-based immaculate conception. Needless to 
say, for a regular guy like me, it's been a pain, and I really would 
like to walk down to a well-lit storefront and buy medicine from some 
tax-paying guy whose joy in life is to know about this stuff, and 
make sure it's safe to use.

My wife has an odd medical condition where her ligaments are very 
loose and weak. This condition, called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, causes 
her other muscles to overcompensate, tightening to the point of 
painful cramping, causing her constant pain. This takes away her 
ability to do things I take for granted, like sit in a chair for more 
than half an hour, or walk down the street to the store.

We looked into medical marijuana after years of trying to find a 
quick-acting medicine that would treat her pain and muscle spasms, 
but wouldn't slowly kill her liver.

Thankfully, we found that a combination of low-THC/high-CBD plant 
vaporization and application of cannabis-infused oil to her joints 
can reduce inflammation and spasms -- all without putting her into an 
opiate-induced haze. Though she still needs regular injections, some 
pills, and lots of help with everyday stuff, cannabis has improved 
her quality of life, and reduced her dependence on dangerous narcotics.

Cannabis has become a valuable tool and it works well for our purposes.

For this reason, I am saddened by No on 2's nonsensical crusade 
against this plant.

They've relied on scare tactics of the most laughable sort in their 
pursuit of ... something, though I'm not sure what that is yet. They 
keep telling people like me that they're OK with decriminalization, 
but taking money out of the black market and putting it into the 
hands of a well-regulated industry is a bad idea. They tell me that 
kids will get it, but don't mention that drug dealers don't check IDs.

They tell me that we should wait and see how things go Outside, but I 
thought we Alaskans didn't care how they do things Outside. They even 
have Frank Murkowski, of all people, lecturing Alaskans on the evils 
of well-run commercial enterprise (commentary, Oct. 5), which had me 
questioning more than just their motives.

I just want to follow the law, be a good citizen, and do the right 
thing for my family.

And the right thing would be a whole lot easier if there was a 
well-regulated, legal system in place to take care of cannabis. It's 
here. It's not going away. And Alaskans are already using it for all 
manner of things, not just for having a good time. Let's punch a hole 
in the black market, keep kids safer, bring in some revenue, and take 
care of our suffering family members at the same time. Yes on 2 is common sense.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom