Pubdate: Sat, 27 Dec 2014
Source: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner (AK)
Copyright: 2014 Fairbanks Publishing Company, Inc.
Contact:  http://newsminer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/764

A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION: MAYOR HOPKINS' QUICK ACTION TO SET UP 
MARIJUANA PANEL BODES WELL FOR RESPONSIBLE REGULATION

The Fairbanks North Star Borough appears to be moving quickly toward 
considering regulations for the legal sale of marijuana in the 
borough following statewide voter approval of Ballot Measure 2 last month.

Mayor Luke Hopkins deserves some praise for moving ahead briskly to 
ensure the borough is ready, saying he wants to introduce proposals 
as early as February for consideration by the Borough Assembly.

And he's doing it with community involvement. He said he plans to 
create a panel that will begin work in January and include 
representatives of the local municipal governments as well as people 
from the fields of law enforcement, education and substance abuse 
treatment. And he expects to also include people who have championed 
legalized marijuana.

That's the way it should be.

Measure 2 legalizes the possession, use and non-sale transfer of 
marijuana effective Feb. 24 but also gives local governments such as 
the Fairbanks borough many powers regarding marijuana sales, among them:

"A local government may prohibit the operation of marijuana 
cultivation facilities, marijuana product manufacturing facilities, 
marijuana testing facilities or retail marijuana stores through the 
enactment of an ordinance or by a voter initiative."

"A local government may enact ordinances or regulations not in 
conflict with this chapter or with regulations enacted pursuant to 
this chapter, governing the time, place, manner and number of 
marijuana establishment operations."

"A local government may designate a local regulatory authority that 
is responsible for processing applications submitted for a 
registration to operate a marijuana establishment within the 
boundaries of the local government."

"A local government may establish procedures for the issuance, 
suspension, and revocation of a registration issued by the local 
government ..."

Given how the Measure 2 vote went in the borough, attaining easy 
passage in most areas, it's not expected that marijuana sales will be 
banned. That, of course, would be the easy choice. Crafting sensible 
regulations to allow the sale but, for example, to prevent marijuana 
retailers from being established in locations unacceptable to the 
general community will be a challenge.

The forthcoming working group being established by Mayor Hopkins 
follows the successful town hall meeting held earlier this month by 
leaders of the borough and the cities of Fairbanks and North Pole to 
discuss what to do in the aftermath of Measure 2's passage. That was 
a good and timely first step after the November election.

Much more work remains to be done, however, and that's why it's best 
that our local government leaders are out front on the issue now. 
Legalized marijuana sales are most likely coming to town. There's no 
reason to delay in preparing for that day.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom