A state government that's already lost hundreds of jobs this year is grappling with how to balance that with the workload that comes with the emergence of an entirely new industry: marijuana. Some Alaska municipalities have a plethora of questions about rules for new marijuana businesses - how to measure the distance from a business to a church? What types of signs can entrepreneurs have? - and the state's Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office doesn't have the time or resources to answer every one. Meanwhile, the digital paperwork for new marijuana business applications just keeps rolling in. [continues 1139 words]
To Keith Crocker, it's clear marijuana could be the logical next step in pushing Juneau's tourism industry to a higher level. That's why he and business partner Mitchell Knottingham created Juneau Cannabis Tours. Their idea - to give tours of Alaska's new marijuana industry in action - is a glimpse into a potential new piece of the state's visitor economy. Some Alaskans are mulling the idea of starting up marijuana tourism companies, while others already have business licenses, but all seem to be biding their time until more commercial marijuana licenses are approved later this year. [continues 1473 words]
Sara Williams just isn't that comfortable with handling $10 million in cash. Williams is the CEO of Midnight Greenery, a retail store she and co-owner Tina Smith plan to open in Anchorage this year to sell cannabis flowers, concentrates, oils, edibles and other products. But like most who are eager to get into Alaska's marijuana industry, Williams is worried about what to do with all the incoming cash that she can't keep in a bank -- especially if business goes well. [continues 1351 words]
More than two years ago, Leif Abel sat around a table with his brother and his father and a list of about 50 possible names for the marijuana cultivation business they wanted to start in Kasilof. After considering whether to take on an image that clearly sends a message about cannabis or perhaps something more discreet, they landed on the name Greatland Ganja and a logo that prominently features a cannabis leaf. "We're proud of what we're doing," Abel said. "We're trying to project a culture of openness and acceptance of people within this subculture that is coming into main society." [continues 1438 words]
Opening the door at Pot Luck Events, the inconspicuous marijuana social club not far from Anchorage's downtown Hilton, can be an intense welcome on a busy night. A heavy aroma hits you in the face: pungent, hazy air. On Saturday, the place teemed with pot lovers and hopeful marijuana entrepreneurs alike for the smoky release party of ArcticBlue, a strain of pot from Anchorage cultivator ArcticBlue Farms. People gathered in a corner to smoke dabs -- highly concentrated marijuana - -- or lounged in low-slung chairs to share joints and bowls under dim lights and a disco ball. [continues 762 words]
Job growth in the hospitality and health-care industries won't be enough to stave off job losses in other sectors in Anchorage in 2016, according to a report released Thursday by the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The city is likely to lose 1,200 jobs this year - a slight decrease of 0.8 percent compared to 2015 - and it's too early to be able to tell if the marijuana retail industry will soften that blow. Anchorage's leisure and hospitality sector, which includes hotels, restaurants and bars, is expected to grow by 200 jobs in 2016, and health care is estimated to gain about 400 jobs. [continues 207 words]
