Pubdate: Thu, 26 Mar 2015
Source: Alaska Dispatch News (AK)
Copyright: 2015 Alaska Dispatch Publishing
Contact:  http://www.adn.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/18
Note: Anchorage Daily News until July '14
Author: Laurel Andrews

ANCHORAGE BANS POT AT MARIJUANA TRADE SHOWS HELD IN MUNICIPAL FACILITIES

A marijuana trade show slated for mid-April in downtown Anchorage 
announced its cancellation on Wednesday, citing a letter sent out 
last week from Mayor Dan Sullivan's office prohibiting the 
possession, use or display of marijuana for any marijuana-related 
event in municipal facilities.

Municipal attorney Dennis Wheeler crafted the letter. Wheeler said 
that "the municipality at this time is not inclined to allow the use 
of marijuana in its facilities."

The letter, dated March 20, was sent to municipal facility property 
managers to provide guidance when approached with inquiries regarding 
marijuana-related events, Wheeler said.

"Current state law and municipal code bans public consumption," the 
letter says. "This includes consumption in the Municipality's public 
facilities, even if the facility is rented for an event."

"Any organization that wishes to rent or use municipal public 
facilities for a purpose related to marijuana may do so under the 
condition that no marijuana or product containing marijuana is 
allowed in the facility ... No one may use, possess, or display 
marijuana in municipal facilities," the letter continues.

The municipality said it would allow marijuana-related products such 
as "bongs, pipes, packaging, cultivation equipment and supplies, art 
work, clothing, etc." at events.

In response to the letter, the AK 420 Fest & Marijuana Industry 
Summit announced the cancellation of its event, writing on its Facebook page:

"It is with sincere regret, and complete frustration, that Adventure 
Expos must cancel its planned Marijuana Industry Summit and AK 420 
Fest, slated for April 19-20 in the Egan Center.

"Due to what we feel are shortsighted and over-reaching policies 
governing the convention centers, established only five days ago, 
there is simply no cost-effective means to host a cannabis-related 
event in public venues in Anchorage."

Wheeler on Wednesday cited two reasons for the decision to ban 
marijuana from municipal facilities during events. First, the desire 
to see state law and regulation in place to ensure that "whatever is 
there is grown and processed legally," he said.

Initiative language does not allow for marijuana use, possession or 
display in a commercial context, Wheeler said.

Secondly, Wheeler said, the municipality needed to confirm that 
marijuana use or possession would not violate provisions of federal 
funding supplied to some municipal facilities, as marijuana remains 
illegal under federal law.

But, Wheeler said, the municipality also has no plans to research 
whether such possession or display violates federal grants for any facilities.

"I'm not going to spend municipal resources or taxpayer dollars ... 
until I know there are state laws in place," he said.

When asked whether, under the language of the letter, possession of 
marijuana would be prohibited in all municipal facilities, Wheeler 
said that "if somebody had some in their possession ... that by 
itself would not necessarily be a violation of law."

Wheeler said the letter was not meant "to address every single 
scenario," and that the purpose of the letter was not to address 
individual possession of marijuana in municipal facilities.

Cory Wray, organizer for the Northwest Cannabis Classic, slated for 
May 15-17 at the Dena'ina Civic and Convention Center, stated that he 
received a copy of the letter from the center's property managers.

Wray said the event would go forward regardless, but having a 
marijuana event without pot "doesn't make a lot of sense," he said.

"We're asking the city to have a special event permit to allow us to 
display it," Wray said, and added that the organization was working 
with the mayor's office, Anchorage Assembly members and various city 
agencies. He noted that event organizers can currently obtain permits 
to serve alcohol in the city's convention centers, despite bans on 
public consumption similar to those applying to marijuana.

In regards to the display of marijuana in a commercial context, Wray 
said, "there's nothing in the law that makes it illegal. People can 
have up to 1 ounce on them."

"It's going to be professional, it's educational, we're trying to do 
it the right way, for the right reasons ... the only people who would 
lose here are the people of Anchorage," Wray said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom