Pubdate: Tue, 24 Feb 2015
Source: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner (AK)
Copyright: 2015 Fairbanks Publishing Company, Inc.
Contact:  http://newsminer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/764
Author: Matt Buxton

STATE REPS PREDICT FEW PROBLEMS UNDER NEW POT LAW

JUNEAU - Lawmakers overseeing marijuana legislation said they aren't 
expecting things to be particularly different now that marijuana 
possession has become legal.

With the anticipation of Ballot Measure 2 becoming law today, 
lawmakers on Monday said they weren't expecting life in Alaska to be 
particularly different now that possession of up to one ounce of 
marijuana outside the home and growing up to six plants is no longer a crime.

"I don't think you're going to see a big difference," said Sen. Mia 
Costello, R-Anchorage, during a weekly news conference. "I'm sure 
there'll be bumps along the way, but we're all in this together."

The message came along with outreach by marijuana-legalization 
advocates for people to take it easy, be responsible and sit tight 
when it comes to commercializing marijuana.

Marijuana will continue to be a regulated substance under the law, 
similar to alcohol, and its sale only will go ahead once the state 
has the opportunity to form regulations and issue permits and 
licenses, a process that won't be fully complete until next year.

On Monday, a group that helped pass Ballot Measure 2 announced it 
would launch a "Consume Responsibly" public education campaign.

Sen. Bill Stoltze, R-Chugiak, said he appreciated the public outreach 
by groups like that. Stoltze chairs the Senate State Affairs 
Committee and has been hosting many meetings about commercialized 
marijuana. Any legislation related to commercial marijuana likely 
will go through that committee.

"The sponsors of the initiative are out reminding the folks who 
supported them in passing this, that it's not as wide open as many of 
them think it was and not to be out trying to commercially peddle 
it," he said of their efforts.

With a commercial marijuana bill yet to be introduced, Stoltze said 
he was interested in regulating serving sizes for edibles, but said 
ultimately that he supported a strong deference for local communities 
to have say over how commercial marijuana is implemented.

"I want them to be a partner in helping develop these, whatever 
regulations that the state does," he said. "And make sure that we 
give the appropriate deference to our communities, I would call that 
a must-have from the initiative sponsors on local control."

As far as continued formation of regulations, Gov. Bill Walker 
introduced a bill to create a Marijuana Control Board. The board will 
be similar to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, which is 
currently in charge of forming marijuana regulations and will meet in 
an emergency meeting this morning to adopt a definition of public place.

Under the bill, the two will share a director and staff. The 
Marijuana Control Board will be a five-member board, with one person 
from the public safety sector, one from the public health sector, one 
from rural Alaska and a maximum of two actively involved in the 
marijuana industry.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom