(Re)Legalizing the Last Frontier

Instead of always starting new threads about Alaska's slog to re-legalization Ima start posting all cannabis-related news here. Mostly because the stories evolve constantly. Sometimes new news isn't worth its own thread but doesn't really fit into the last one. Basically anything AK re-legalization is fair game, feel free to do the same and or discuss/argue/whatever.

Also include link, author and/or source docs when possible.

AK ganj pix ok too.

(Legal homegrown sativa hybrid, born outside Seward, AK...)




Alaska amends recommendations involving marijuana and driving
By Robin Wood [email protected]
Posted: Wednesday, May 6, 2015 12:05 am
http://www.newsminer.com/news/local...8-f3c6-11e4-b4f3-b31274721edc.html?mode=print

FAIRBANKS — A “Get the Facts about Marijuana” Web page published by the state of Alaska attempts to address health and social issues following the legalization of marijuana. But offering relevant and helpful information has proved challenging in the midst of the burgeoning cannabis culture — particularly regarding driving under the influence.

The website — published by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services — outlines health facts, tips for safe storage and talking with children, law basics and addiction resources regarding the active drug in marijuana,

tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.

A section of the website originally provided estimated timelines for safe driving after smoking pot. After noticing the timelines, which were taken from a review by the Colorado Department of Health & Environment, the chief medical officer for the state of Alaska decided to alter the recommendations.

The guidelines were generalized to eliminate timelines and to stress caution.

The amended guidelines state that marijuana affects people differently and offers “a few simple rules of thumb.” The more THC a person consumes, the greater the impairment, and the effects of edibles are slower to develop and last longer. Though a person may feel fine to drive after two or three hours, impairment can last much longer, and getting high diminishes judgment. Using alcohol and marijuana together results in greater driving impairment.

The original recommendations from Colorado stated users should wait at least six hours after smoking as much as 35 milligrams of THC before driving, biking, operating heavy machinery or performing other safety-sensitive activities. The guidelines also stated that people should wait at least eight hours after consuming as much as 18 milligrams of marijuana edibles. The timelines pertain specifically to occasional cannabis users, defined as “less than weekly” consumers.

In the Colorado retail market, a typical 0.5 gram joint with 12 percent to 23 percent THC content contains 60 to 115 milligrams of THC, while a standard edible is 10 milligrams, according to the report.

Alaska Chief Medical Officer Jay Butler said of the established Colorado market, “the amount of THC in marijuana that’s purchased is much more clearly defined.” He added that the lack of testing of home-grown marijuana in Alaska makes the information “not too useful to Alaska.”

Two of Butler’s big concerns are the incredible variability of THC concentrations and of users’ tolerances. Another concern for Butler is the time it takes to reach peak blood-level concentrations from edibles, which can take as long as four hours after ingestion.

Unlike alcohol, which has established scientific tests to determine blood-

alcohol content, determining if drivers are illegally impaired by marijuana is a challenge that currently relies mostly on officer discretion. Defining the acceptable level of THC in blood and how to test for the compound have not been resolved.

“The bottom line is, don’t drive stoned. Definitely don’t drive drunk and stoned,” Butler said.

The amended Alaska website also mentions it’s ultimately up to law enforcement to decide whether or not an individual is driving impaired.

The Alaska State Troopers declined to comment on the recommendations of another state agency. No field testing device for marijuana is currently used by troopers.

According to trooper spokesman Tim Despain, if a driver is suspected to be under the influence of cannabis, field sobriety tests would be performed. A breath test for blood-alcohol content and possibly examination by a specially trained drug-recognition expert would follow.

A driver could then be asked for consent to draw blood for a toxicology analysis or a warrant could be requested.

The marijuana facts website can be seen at http://dhss.alaska.gov/dph/Director/Pages/marijuana/default.aspx.

Contact staff writer Robin Wood at 459-7510.

Bill establishing Marijuana Control Board in Alaska signed into law
Laurel Andrews [1]
May 6, 2015

A bill signed into law Monday creates a Marijuana Control Board that will take the lead in crafting Alaska's marijuana laws.

Now signed by Alaska Gov. Bill Walker, House Bill 123 creates a five-member volunteer board that will craft Alaska’s marijuana regulations. It will address a wide array of issues, from the amount of THC allowed per edible product to business license types to security and safety requirements.

Walker’s signing of the bill is no surprise, as he had said he supported [3] the version that lawmakers passed.

“I look forward to seeing the hard work of the (Alcoholic Beverage Control) Board continue, and I know the Marijuana Control Board has an incredibly big task ahead,” Walker said in a release.

The Marijuana Control Board will share the staff, resources and director of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. Most of the $1.57 million in funding allocated for the Marijuana Control Board in the capital budget will go toward the expansion of the ABC Board, which has already hired several new employees to accommodate the new task.

The state is actively seeking [4] board members, who will come from the public safety and health sectors, rural Alaska and the marijuana industry.

The bill also gives explicit enforcement authority to the ABC Board -- meaning that it may use peace officer powers to shut down businesses acting illegally, as it does with out-of-compliance alcohol-related businesses.

An amendment added to the bill [5] during the final days of the session prohibits anyone with a felony conviction within the last five years, or someone on probation or parole for a felony, from obtaining a license for a marijuana establishment.

The option of creating a Marijuana Control Board was written into Alaska’s Ballot Measure 2, which legalized recreational marijuana in the state. Walker requested HB 123 be introduced to the Legislature. It passed the last day of the legislative session.

The bill was one of five bills [3] discussed in the Alaska Legislature this year, and the only one that passed. It was deemed “critical” [6] by marijuana industry supporters.

Walker has indicated that he does not intend to introduce any more marijuana legislation until the regulations are in place.

Walker also signed House Bill 116 on Monday, which reauthorizes the ABC Board until 2018. The ABC Board issues liquor licenses, enforces alcohol regulations and laws.


Source URL: http://www.adn.com/article/20150506/bill-establishing-marijuana-control-board-alaska-signed-law

Cut from an email from The Coalition for Responsible Cannabis Legislation

The Anchorage Assembly Marijuana Committee met on April 23. There were two key items of interest:

1)An ordinance that would allow display of marijuana on the premises of public facilities (this was proposed to accommodate the upcoming NW Cannabis Cup). The Assembly will hear public testimony on the ordinance on May 12 however, it’s not clear that it could be enacted in time to benefit that event (which begins just a few days later).

2)The Assembly chair (Dick Traini) directed the department of Planning and Zoning to begin work on preliminary zoning regulation s for marijuana businesses. Draft regulations are expected to be available for review by early-summer.

Fairbanks:

CRCL has been working closely with the Fairbanks Northstar Borough on marijuana policy. Overall, Fairbanks has been very receptive to the industry and continues to work with the legislature and MCB on sensible rules.