Does the picture of a man "toking up" really belong on the front page of your newspaper? I am simply amazed viewing people in the news, and on TV puffing smoke into the camera and into our faces with the most infantile look. It's almost like a small child receiving an ice cream cone for the first time, only that would deserve an exhilarating look! Is this what we've become? Looking for the next high and then the next, and then the next? Heaven help us if we try to enjoy activities in a sober state. I can voice my opinion as I have lived in a glass house, but fortunately chose to live and function in an unaltered state! - - Rolf L. Bilet Anchorage [end]
Thanks to everyone for having patience during Highly Informed's hiatus. We start back up this week with an intriguing question from "Lago Prano": "I know authorities have been saying that selling pot is illegal, but what about buying it? Is the act of buying pot against the law if you don't buy too much?" This question opens up a few interesting implications for anti-drug policy itself, but we'll keep the discussion focused on Alaska. The short answer is no; the very act of handing someone money in Alaska and receiving a legal amount of cannabis is not illegal for the person handing over the money. [continues 1220 words]
Alaska stands to make between $5.1 million and $19.2 million in tax revenue from commercial marijuana in 2016, according to a preliminary estimate by the Alaska Department of Revenue. An estimate dated Jan. 2 looks at possible revenues that it calls "very uncertain." The tax division had to estimate both how much marijuana is consumed in Alaska every year and what proportion of consumers will switch to marijuana from the legal retail market, said Ken Alper, Department of Revenue tax division director. [continues 759 words]
Judging by the scene at Pot Luck Events on Wednesday night, one would never guess the state has advised the club to shut down. Members had come to the downtown Anchorage marijuana social club to smoke, take dab hits and watch the "Chronic Comedy Show," while eating free candy provided at the nonalcoholic bar. "Bud of the week" samples -- provided by growers, not the club, owner Theresa Collins explained -- were displayed on a table in the back of the room. Yet the club, which has been open since March, is one of six businesses that received cease-and-desist letters from Cynthia Franklin, director of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board and the newly created Marijuana Control Board, in late June. [continues 1200 words]
The five members who will make up Alaska's first Marijuana Control Board were named Wednesday morning by Gov. Bill Walker. The Marijuana Control Board is tasked with crafting Alaska's regulations surrounding legalized recreational and commercial marijuana. The board is made up of volunteers and will function under the auspices of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, sharing the staff and resources of the agency. Walker said in a release the appointees "bring with them decades of experience in public health, business development and rural issues. With their different backgrounds and diverse skill sets, they will help shepherd in regulations for this new industry." [continues 343 words]
Q: We legalized pot in this state in February, so can you tell me how I got fired for THC on my drug test last week? I smoke in my house and on my own time and it's none of my employer's business. A: Although we legalized recreational marijuana use in Alaska, you probably don't have a winnable lawsuit, particularly if your organization has a zero-tolerance policy regarding drug use. [continues 669 words]
WASILLA -- Residents of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, considered Alaska's cannabis-growing capital, may see a commercial marijuana ban on the ballot this year. Backers of at least two voter initiatives want local ballots in October to include an option to prohibit marijuana businesses such as grow operations, testing labs and retail dispensaries except those involving industrial hemp. The borough mayor is one of several initiative sponsors behind the push to ban "cannabusiness" at the voting box, even as a borough committee appointed by the mayor himself starts work on local regulations. [continues 925 words]
The Anchorage Assembly voted late Tuesday night to include marijuana smoke under the city's ban on tobacco smoke. Within 90 days, businesses and building owners will have to amend "No Smoking" signs to include a reference to marijuana smoke, according to the measure adopted Tuesday. The city has already enacted a ban on public consumption, which defines a public place as "a place to which the public or a substantial group of persons has access" and includes streets, highways, sidewalks, alleys, transportation facilities and parks and playgrounds. Many of the facilities outlined in the "secondhand smoking" measure are already covered by the ban on public consumption, according to the measure, introduced by Assembly Chair Dick Traini. [continues 184 words]
I think that Anchorage Assembly Chair Dick Traini has a good idea but it needs some follow-through. Treat cannabis as tightly as tobacco, yet as loosely as alcohol. That means places for social use need to be tolerated. Responsible tavern keepers want to provide what their customers want, and to discourage what their neighbors don't want. The same as any other business, cannabis cafes will succeed or fail on how they perform. But they must be allowed to perform, as a necessary shove to push prohibition into the past and regulation into the present. I miss the North. The grinning children beneath the northern lights in Barrow will never leave me. Please be careful with that Chukchi oil. A spill in Santa Barbara has wounded my heart. - - Jay Bergstrom Forest Ranch, Calif. [end]
FAIRBANKS -- Before Alaska marijuana businesses open their doors, owners will need to know they are growing, testing or selling on land zoned for those activities, local government leaders here say, and residents deserve to know in advance what might or might not be allowed in their neighborhoods. The state has yet to resolve some key questions about marijuana regulation following voter approval of the legalization initiative last November, but local governments have powers under the measure to establish regulations on commercial activities, though they cannot prohibit personal use. [continues 511 words]
Anchorage Assembly Chair Dick Traini is proposing to treat marijuana smoke like tobacco smoke when it comes to public facilities, workplaces and schools. A measure that Traini plans to introduce next week at the Assembly meeting would incorporate marijuana and marijuana products into the city's secondhand smoking law. That means smoking marijuana would not be allowed in public places, workplaces, child care centers, outdoor arenas, stadiums and amphitheaters and municipal facilities, including schools. People also would not be allowed to smoke within 5 feet of the entrance to a place licensed to serve alcohol, or within 50 feet of a hospital or medical clinic entrance. [continues 173 words]
The public can now weigh in on Alaska's first round of proposed marijuana regulations. Local option law and marijuana definitions are the focus of the first wave of regulations, unveiled at the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board's meeting in April. The proposed definitions include basics like what constitutes a "marijuana plant" and "edible marijuana product," but also what it means to "possess" a plant or help someone grow marijuana. The definition of possession could affect how many plants are allowed per household. Under Ballot Measure 2, the initiative that legalized marijuana in the state, a person is allowed to possess six marijuana plants. But under the proposed regulations, if marijuana plants are in a person's home, they are potentially in that person's possession, regardless of the number of residents. That would mean only six plants would be allowed in the home, instead of six plants per adult living there. [continues 150 words]
This week, David asks a two-part question: I have read the initiative along with the newly passed H.B. 123. I have gone over again and again, and I have yet to see any writing prohibiting a marijuana business from starting before the state starts issuing cannabis business licenses. If anything, I see that it says that a person can, so long as they are 21 or older, act as a lawful business. (Also) H.B. 123 states that one seat on the board is reserved for "one person actively engaged in the marijuana industry," and "marijuana industry" means "a business or profession related to marijuana in which the person is lawfully engaged and that is in compliance with the provisions of state law, including this chapter and regulations adopted under this chapter." How can someone qualify for this seat if what (authorities) talk about is true and no marijuana business can be lawfully engaged at this moment? [continues 995 words]
From the variety of specialized products to visitors eager to learn industry tips, the Northwest Cannabis Classic in Anchorage on Saturday looked like a typical trade show. The obvious exceptions were the cannabis plants displayed in glass jars beneath LED lights, helping make what organizers said was the first event of its kind in Alaska since voters approved the legalization of marijuana more than six months ago. Aimed at sharing information about the fledgling industry, the three-day show at the Dena'ina Center features panels, demonstrations and products that range from lighting technology to smoking instruments to flower enhancers and plant food. It generated a buzz, with about 700 people buying presale tickets and about as many day-of tickets bought on Saturday, said event organizer Cory Wray. [continues 941 words]
"Foxweed" asks, "Now that pot is legal, there are undoubtedly many readers who have never really partaken much in the subculture. Sooner than we think, many options for smoking pot will become available, so how does one pot? I see talk of sativas and indicas, purples and reds and berries and kushes. Joints, bongs, pipes, vapes? hash, dab etc. etc. I barely have beers and wines figured out here, help me out?" Well, you're right, when cannabis finally becomes available for legal retail sale to adults 21 and over, the array of products will be dizzying for people who decide to check out the scene. [continues 2070 words]
This week we're following up on the driving under the influence discussion published April 8. A few Anchorage readers since then have asked for more clarity about how DUI evidence works with cannabis in Alaska's largest city. As we discussed that week, the chief chemical in cannabis that's believed responsible for impairment is delta-9 THC. As the body uses that substance, it changes into different, inactive forms of THC that no longer produce a "high," but that are evidence of past use. Levels of active THC high enough to cause impairment typically dissipate after several hours, but the inactive form can last in the body for a month or more depending on individual factors. Both types of THC are detectable in blood tests, but the inactive type is more commonly associated with urine tests like the ones used for employers with zero-tolerance drug policies. [continues 595 words]
A civilization stands or falls on its oils. Every cell in your body has a protective wall of two layers of interlocked oil molecules. This cell wall determines the health of the cell, by admitting or repelling molecules. For healthy cells, animals require fats and oils in their diet. Humans require fats, oil and cholesterol for healthy life and clear thinking. The human brain is 25 percent cholesterol. Every civilization has a significant source of dietary oil. Neanderthals ate meat fat and pine nuts. American small farmers during America's agricultural centuries grew cannabis, flax, sunflowers and nut trees, and ate egg yolks and butterfat. Americans today eat GMO chicken fat, GMO butter, GMO bacon, and, increasingly, GMO canola oil. Alaskans love salmon fat and muktuk. But king salmon, an outstanding fish oil source, is being mismanaged out of existence. [continues 122 words]
WASILLA -- A different kind of blight is emerging from heroin use in the Valley: discarded hypodermic needles littering roadsides, parks and waterways from Butte to Houston. Valley residents say they find syringes without trying -- at a school bus stop in Big Lake, riding horses in Houston, in the sand next to Wasilla Lake. Houston Fire Capt. Christian Hartley found 30 needles in a stretch of road near a gravel pit just off the Parks Highway in April. Last year, most of the hypodermics turned up along the Parks Highway -- maybe users just threw them out vehicle windows, he said -- but this year most cluster along King Arthur Drive, Houston's busiest artery. [continues 1116 words]
Alaska's first draft marijuana regulations, proposed Thursday during an Alcoholic Beverage Control Board meeting in Anchorage, address what it means to help someone grow marijuana and what local-option law will look like. The meeting at the downtown Legislative Information Office attracted about two dozen spectators, who lined a large conference room, surrounding board members and agency staff at a table in the center of the room. A general sense of optimism prevailed among the audience members, many of whom hoped to start marijuana businesses. [continues 870 words]
JUNEAU (AP) -- The state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board is expected to review possible regulations for the new marijuana industry. The board is scheduled to meet Thursday in Anchorage to discuss marijuana regulations. When voters in November approved a ballot issue legalizing limited recreational marijuana, they also directed the board to develop regulations for commercial and retail marijuana sales and cultivation. The agenda also includes an update on the timeline for drafting the rules. In February, the board made an emergency regulation defining the public places where marijuana is prohibited. It will consider making that rule permanent on Thursday. A new five-member marijuana control board that shares staff and resources with the alcohol board is expected to take over the regulatory work eventually. By mid-day Wednesday, there were 89 applicants for the board. [end]
Alaska's politicos and various allied morality police betray a prevailing public trust: they presently sabotage voters' intent to decriminalize production and use of marijuana. The current soapboxing and grandstanding about control and regulation increase corruption opportunities; likewise, massive regulation invites furthered criminalization. Anyone who's lived more than a couple decades will recognize the contrived health scare tactics: Protect consumers, and their children, from the long-term effects. First of all, there is no established scientific research, primarily because the government refused to permit legitimate research, or relax federal prohibitions. In fact, there is substantial anecdotal "research" generated by desperate medical needs that makes the current health scares look silly. The only palpable signs of addiction in this controversy are politicians' attachments to myths and fabrications. They cannot give up their intoxication with power and control - in spite of the facts. - - Bill McCord Haines [end]
For much of his adult life, Brett LeMay grew and sold marijuana. He preferred growing in trailers. They offered lower overhead costs, and most of the time, neighbors didn't care what he was up to. He'd outfit the trailers to maximize production; cannabis plants would crowd the bedrooms, the kitchen, the bathroom. LeMay slept in the living room. The illegal grows gave him the money and freedom to live as he wanted in Anchorage. He set his own salary, careful not to sell so much as to draw attention to himself. A self-proclaimed home-body, he used his spare time to teach himself computer programs or go on long drives with his girlfriend. [continues 1664 words]
On the last day of Alaska's regular legislative session, the state Senate voted on a bill that would clarify municipal regulation of marijuana. "This is our last marijuana bill," Sen. Lesil McGuire, R-Anchorage, said before the vote. "I think members are relieved by that fact." The bill wasn't controversial, she said. It had come about at the request of city governments looking for guidance. The bill went to a vote. It failed, 10-10. The next day, the bill was sent back to the Senate Rules Committee, where it will remain until legislators gavel in next year, Sen. John Coghill, R-North Pole, confirmed Wednesday. [continues 928 words]
Last November, Alaskans voted to support the legalization and commercialization of marijuana, following the example of Colorado and Washington. The campaign supporting that ballot measure was the "campaign to regulate marijuana like alcohol." House Bill 75 is one of the marijuana bills under consideration by the Legislature that seeks to do that - at least to the extent practicable and consistent with how our municipalities manage alcohol establishments and the various licenses under Title 4 (alcohol). [continues 617 words]
This week, we'll examine a two-part question from Roger about cannabis intoxication and impaired driving. It's been a hot topic in states where cannabis is now legal, and laws, policies and technologies are constantly evolving across the nation. The situation in Alaska is relatively stable because it apparently hasn't changed very much since voters approved the legalization of recreational pot. The Legislature has taken no action, and the ballot measure itself didn't include DUI details. Roger asks: [continues 1779 words]
The public has kept a watchful eye on the marijuana crime bill circulating in Alaska's Legislature, but regulators and industry supporters say another piece of legislation in the works is far more important to the creation of a regulated marijuana industry. Currently in the House Judiciary Committee, House Bill 123 would create a Marijuana Control Board tasked with crafting regulations and ensuring that marijuana businesses work within those laws. The bill also contains an essential aspect of regulating the burgeoning industry: money. [continues 661 words]
The state House Thursday afternoon passed a bill that would clarify municipal regulation of marijuana businesses and define the number of plants allowed per household. House Bill 75 clarifies municipalities' processes for registering marijuana businesses; authorizes "marijuana clubs" where the substance could be consumed; gives municipalities power to establish civil and criminal penalties for businesses; defines what the term "assisting" means in terms of helping someone with their plants or marijuana; establishes provisions for communities to prohibit businesses; and establishes a 24-plant limit per household. [continues 367 words]
When the initiative to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana in Alaska took effect Feb. 24, personal home gardens of six plants total, up to three flowering at a time, became expressly permitted for any Alaskan 21 years or older. But what if someone has no idea where to begin? There are books and magazines. Cultivation message boards and web forums seem to multiply by the day, but researching all of that and turning it into action takes time. Not to mention that talk of light frequencies, growing media, "nutes," and techniques like ScrOG, FIM, and LST might overwhelm beginners. [continues 1822 words]
After lengthy debate Monday, the Alaska Senate shot down an amendment that would have made marijuana concentrates illegal in two years and passed a marijuana crime bill along to the House. The bill, SB 30, passed the Senate by a vote of 17-3. The bill addresses marijuana and Alaska's criminal statutes, and was introduced as part of the response to the voter initiative approved in November that legalized recreational use of marijuana in Alaska. The bill has changed substantially as it has made its way through the Senate. The version passed Monday afternoon was crafted in the Senate Finance Committee. Voting against the bill were three Anchorage Democrats: Sens. Bill Wielechowski and Johnny Ellis and Senate Minority Leader Berta Gardner. [continues 384 words]
The Alaska Senate's discussion of a marijuana crime bill was put on hold until Monday after two amendments were offered too soon to be studied before Friday's floor session began, lawmakers said. One amendment, to be introduced by Sen. Pete Kelly, R-Fairbanks, deals with marijuana concentrates. The other would remove marijuana from the list of controlled substances in state laws and will be introduced by Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage. [continues 287 words]
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. [continues 599 words]
The question this week comes from Doug: "Hello, I'm a smoker considering a Section 8 voucher. I suppose its up to the individual landlord, though the Alaska housing authority could have some policy already in place. Any idea? Will I be allowed to possess, use or grow in Section 8 housing?" The answer here is similar to the previous installment of Highly Informed that dealt with landlords, tenants and cannabis. On one hand - -- the hand that matters most -- nothing is different. Housing assistance rules still depend on federal definitions of illegal drugs. And it'll still be up to the landlord and tenant to agree on rules and make them clear in a lease, and then up to the tenant to abide by them and the landlord to enforce them. But on the other hand, there are interesting complications to think about that stem from the fresh dissonance between Alaska and federal law. [continues 1612 words]
WASILLA -- The "Smoothie Lady" can celebrate: Some of Alaska's strictest municipal regulations on marijuana got rolled back Monday night in light of concerns that they could violate state law. The Wasilla City Council voted 4-2 to remove a local prohibition on cooking marijuana edibles -- which includes everything from cannabis butter to brownies to smoothies -- in a home kitchen within city limits. The council also removed a 2-ounce limit on the amount of pot that can legally be carried in one vehicle, a prohibition more rigorous than the 1-ounce per person, six-plant limit in state law. [continues 728 words]
JUNEAU (AP) - A Senate committee advanced legislation Monday that would update state laws related to marijuana crimes. The Senate Finance Committee moved the bill after adopting a new version. SB 30 would update state crimes now that certain recreational use and possession of marijuana is legal for adults 21 and older. It sets out the crimes for possession of larger amounts of marijuana, allows emergency responders under 21 to enter marijuana businesses, and prohibits delivery or transportation of marijuana for sale or barter. [continues 230 words]
JUNEAU (AP) - The state is soliciting resumes for potential members of a new marijuana regulatory board, although lawmakers are still working on legislation to create such a board. The House Labor and Commerce Committee heard an update Friday on the latest bill draft, which would create a five-member board that would share staff and resources with the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. The voter initiative legalizing recreational marijuana directed the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board to write the regulations for a new marijuana industry. But the initiative also gave the Legislature the option of creating a new marijuana board to do that work. The governor introduced companion bills to create that board in the House and Senate last month. [continues 171 words]
Anchorage police served a search warrant on the Alaska Cannabis Club's downtown clubhouse on Friday afternoon, taking boxes of evidence from the residence as club owner Charlo Greene watched. Anchorage Police Department spokesperson Jennifer Castro told reporters on scene later Friday afternoon that police had received reports of illegal marijuana sales occurring at the clubhouse. No charges had been filed Friday, Castro said. Police arrived about 1 p.m., Greene said. Greene, whose legal name is Charlene Egbe, is a former television news reporter who achieved national notoriety in September when she quit on-air after announcing she was the owner of the club. [continues 249 words]
Our question today involves Anchorage Municipal Ordinance 8.35.350, section 1, which reads as follows: It is unlawful for any person to manufacture a marijuana concentrate, hashish, or hash oil by use of solvents containing compressed flammable gases or through use of a solvent-based extraction method using a substance other than vegetable glycerin, unless the person is validly licensed and permitted in accordance with statute, regulation, or ordinance. A reader going by the name "Heckuva Job, Brownie" wonders, "Does that mean no cold water hash or pot butter brownies, as both water and butter are not 'vegetable glycerins'? You HAVE to use a vegetable oil? Am I misunderstanding the terminology? Margarine brownies are OK; butter brownies are not?" [continues 1448 words]
PALMER -- The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly on Tuesday night unanimously voted down a bid to put commercial marijuana operations to a vote of Valley residents. Borough Mayor Larry DeVilbiss wanted to ask residents outside the cities of Palmer, Wasilla and Houston if they supported retail stores, as well as testing, growing or manufacturing facilities. Mat-Su voters in November narrowly voted against the initiative legalizing recreational marijuana use in Alaska, though residents in Palmer and other communities backed legalization. DeVilbiss said he just wanted to gauge residents' feelings on specific commercial operations in light of that vote. [continues 312 words]
JUNEAU - The head of a House committee that has spent much of the session reviewing marijuana said an amendment pushed through by a Fairbanks senator to ban all marijuana concentrates in 2017 will not survive in her committee. Anchorage Republican and House Judiciary chairwoman Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux said a controversial amendment authored by Sen. Pete Kelly isn't what Alaskans voted for when they passed Ballot Measure 2. "I would not go in that direction," she said. "To me, it is very important to adhere to the will of the people, and the people didn't say 'Let's have concentrates for two years and then two years later we'll stop being able to use them.' That was not the initiative." [continues 609 words]
After a rough initial outing and complete rewrite, the Alaska Legislature's attempt at setting state rules for marijuana legalization appears to have ground to a halt once more. Senate Bill 30 would rewrite state laws to reflect marijuana's legal status for personal possession and use following voter approval of Ballot Measure 2 in November 2014. But a controversial amendment by Fairbanks Sen. Pete Kelly has dimmed the prospect that a fix to conflicting state laws on legalization is imminent. [continues 495 words]
The politicians in charge of implementing recently enacted Ballot Measure 2 are not supporting the will of the voters. Their constituents voted for this to become law. It seems some lawmakers are doing everything in their power to drastically change what voters approved. I see them intentionally trying to get this tied up in the court system until they have the opportunity in two years to repeal this law or drastically change it. With a budget deficit looming, why would officials want to minimize much needed revenue that would come with this new industry? Seems to me the people are well-educated on this subject and the ones in charge of implementing this law are not. Slow down. Take the time to educate yourselves before jumping to the conclusion with morality-based decisions. - - Garrett Steigleman Palmer [end]
WASILLA -- The mayor of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough wants to put bans on commercial marijuana operations to a local vote, potentially opening a door to undo parts of Alaska's legalization law in the state's pot growing capital. The proposed resolution goes before the Mat-Su Assembly on Tuesday night. Borough Mayor Larry DeVilbiss is seeking Assembly approval of a resolution asking local voters if they support prohibitions on four sectors of commercial marijuana: retail stores, cultivation facilities, manufacturing facilities and testing facilities. If approved, the questions would be placed on the Oct. 6 ballot for borough residents outside the cities of Palmer, Wasilla and Houston. [continues 691 words]
To the editor: We the people have voted. Marijuana is now a legal substance in the state of Alaska. So what is the big deal? Why are our lawmakers so afraid that this plant that has been around for centuries is finally something that can legally be bought, sold and used? I don't get it. Everyone seems to be just fine with alcohol and cigarettes being sold everywhere, yes, even around daycare centers and schools. But marijuana seems to put all of the powers that be into some sort of tailspin. I believe they are afraid. Marijuana is much less scary than alcohol or cigarettes. [continues 64 words]
The national group Marijuana Policy Project, the primary financial sponsor of Alaska's initiative to legalize recreational marijuana, continues to advocate in the Last Frontier as lawmakers attempt to draft marijuana legislation. MPP intends "to defend the initiative from being attacked in the state legislature in 2015," according to the organization's 2015 Strategic Plan. To this end, the organization is providing both funding and legal support for the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Alaska. MPP was the Campaign to Regulate's primary financial backer during the 2014 election, spending more than $800,000 in support of Ballot Measure 2. MPP also provided the majority of funding for Alaska's failed 2004 initiative. [continues 609 words]
JUNEAU - The day after hearing scathing public testimony for changes it made to a marijuana crime bill, the Senate Finance Committee returned on Thursday to make more than a dozen tweaks to the bill. The committee reviewed 18 amendments to Senate Bill 30, which aims to smooth out wrinkles between the now-on-the-books voter initiative that legalized marijuana and existing criminal laws, accepting all but one. Sen. Anna MacKinnon, R-Eagle River, lead the meeting and opened it by saying the committee mostly listened the public. [continues 361 words]
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - The Senate Finance Committee on Thursday amended a bill that would update state laws following the legalization of recreational use of marijuana in Alaska. Some of the amendments were technical in nature. Others addressed issues raised by state officials and the public in past hearings, including adjusting open container laws and limiting concentrate purchases by transaction, rather than by day. Lawmakers also added a section that would give regulators some enforcement authority over marijuana businesses in response to a concern raised by Alcoholic Beverage Control Board Executive Director Cynthia Franklin. [continues 214 words]
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - The Senate Finance Committee has heard strong opposition to the latest version of a bill that would change criminal statutes related to marijuana. Senate Finance took public testimony on the bill on Wednesday. The bill is intended to change criminal statutes related to marijuana, and was first introduced in Senate Judiciary. The Senate Finance version makes marijuana a controlled substance with a "non-applicability" clause that legalizes certain activities. Members of the public told the committee that when they voted for legalization of recreational marijuana in November, they expected the substance would no longer be on Alaska's controlled substance list. Several people also opposed a provision that would limit daily sales of marijuana concentrates, citing concern over a database to track purchases. Another hearing on the bill is planned for Thursday. [end]
Legislators on Wednesday heard public testimony about the newest version of a bill that deals with the criminal aspects of marijuana law in Alaska. Introduced Monday in the Senate Finance Committee, the new version of SB 30 reinstates marijuana as a controlled substance. Among other changes to the bill, some crimes could be prosecuted as felonies, and an open container is broadly defined. The bill had passed from the Senate Judiciary Committee, which drafted a bill that removed marijuana from the list of controlled substances. [continues 742 words]
Last week, Highly Informed tackled the topic of public cannabis use in state parks, whether it is legal (it's not), and what the difficulties of enforcement might be. As a follow up to that discussion, "Aces Fan" wonders: Maybe I'm missing something, but I thought it was also illegal to drink in public and that happens a lot when people go camping/hiking/fishing in the state parks. How is marijuana any different? Are the park rangers etc. going to be ticketing people for marijuana and not alcohol? [continues 590 words]
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - A state official told Alaska lawmakers that the Division of Agriculture will have a role in overseeing the state's new marijuana industry. Director Franci Havemeister told the Senate State Affairs Committee on Tuesday that the division is looking at whether marijuana growers will be able to access an agricultural revolving loan fund and state agricultural land sales. She said growers also may be subject to regulations about submitting farm conservation plans. Havemeister said the division is working to determine whether the Alaska Grown label can be applied to marijuana. She said federal funds support the label. Lawmakers also asked about some of the specifics of marijuana growing operations, and what oversight the division would provide. Havemeister said some of those details are still unknown. [end]
Inside Alaska
