Alaska becomes 3rd state with legal marijuana

[webfact]

Alaska becomes 3rd state with legal marijuana
By MOLLY DISCHNER

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Smoking, growing and possessing marijuana becomes legal in America's wildest state Tuesday, thanks to a voter initiative aimed at clearing away 40 years of conflicting laws and court rulings.

Making Alaska the third state to legalize recreational marijuana was the goal of a coalition including libertarians, rugged individualists and small-government Republicans who prize the privacy rights enshrined in the state's constitution.

But when they voted 52-48 percent last November to legalize marijuana use by adults in private places, they left many of the details to lawmakers and regulators to sort out.

Meanwhile, Alaska Native leaders worry that legalization will bring new temptations to communities already confronting high rates of drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence and suicide.

"When they start depending on smoking marijuana, I don't know how far they'd go to get the funds they need to support it, to support themselves," said Edward Nick, council member in Manokotak, a remote village of 400 that is predominantly Yup'ik Eskimo.

Both alcohol and drug use are prohibited in Nick's village 350 miles southwest of Anchorage, even inside the privacy of villagers' homes.

But Nick fears that the initiative, in combination with a 1975 state Supreme Court decision that legalized marijuana use inside homes — could open doors to drug abuse.

Initiative backers promised Native leaders that communities could still have local control under certain conditions. Alaska law gives every community the option to regulate alcohol locally. From northern Barrow to Klawock, 1,291 miles away in southeast Alaska, 108 communities impose local limits on alcohol, and 33 of them ban it altogether.

But the initiative did not provide clear opt-out language for tribal councils and other smaller communities, forcing each one to figure out how to proceed Tuesday.

November's initiative also bans smoking in public, but didn't define what that means, and lawmakers left the question to the alcohol regulatory board, which planned to meet early Tuesday to discuss an emergency response.

In Anchorage, Alaska's largest city, officials tried and failed in December to ban a new commercial marijuana industry. But Police Chief Mark Mew said his officers will be strictly enforcing the public smoking ban. He even warned people against smoking on their porches if they live next to a park.

Other officials are still discussing a proposed cultivation ban for the wild Kenai Peninsula. But far to the north, in North Pole, smoking outdoors on private property will be OK as long as it doesn't create a nuisance, officials there said.

While the 1975 court decision protected personal marijuana possession and a 1998 initiative legalized medicinal marijuana, state lawmakers twice criminalized any possession over the years, creating an odd legal limbo.

As of Tuesday, adult Alaskans can not only keep and use pot, they can transport, grow it and give it away. A second phase, creating a regulated and taxed marijuana market, won't start until 2016 at the earliest.

And while possession is no longer a crime under state law, enjoying pot in public can bring a $100 fine.

That's fine with Dean Smith, a pot-smoker in Juneau who has friends in jail for marijuana offenses. "It's going to stop a lot of people getting arrested for nonviolent crimes," he said.

The initiative's backers warned pot enthusiasts to keep their cool.

"Don't do anything to give your neighbors reason to feel uneasy about this new law. We're in the midst of an enormous social and legal shift," organizers wrote in the Alaska Dispatch News, the state's largest newspaper.

Richard Ziegler, who had been promoting what he called "Idida-toke" in a nod to Alaska's Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, reluctantly called off his party.

There's no such pullback for former television reporter Charlo Greene, now CEO of the Alaska Cannabis Club, which is having its grand opening on Tuesday in downtown Anchorage. She's already pushing the limits, promising to give away weed to paying "medical marijuana" patients and other "club members."

Greene — who quit her job with a four-letter walkoff on live television last year to devote her efforts to passing the initiative — plans a celebratory toke at 4:20 p.m.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-02-24

[NeverSure]

I can't wait to hear the comments on here when it's learned that it was the Republicans who backed this, LOL.

[Rykbanlor]

Aye, they're flooding in thick and fast.

[rotary]

Sad day for Alaska that will lead to lots of trouble.

[Gutterboy]

Sad day for Alaska that will lead to lots of trouble.

Why?

[Gandtee]

Why do they even want to smoke it? To chill out? Cool man

[DaddyWarbucks]

Sad day for Alaska that will lead to lots of trouble.

Prohibition always leads to more.

[Seastallion]

""When they start depending on smoking marijuana, I don't know how far they'd go to get the funds they need to support it, to support themselves," said Edward Nick, council member in Manokotak, a remote village of 400 that is predominantly Yup'ik Eskimo."

Just shows the old timer's distorted view on the herb. Nobody gets dependent on it, and that's probably one of the major reasons it's getting decriminalised all around the world.

[car720]

""When they start depending on smoking marijuana, I don't know how far they'd go to get the funds they need to support it, to support themselves," said Edward Nick, council member in Manokotak, a remote village of 400 that is predominantly Yup'ik Eskimo."

Just shows the old timer's distorted view on the herb. Nobody gets dependent on it, and that's probably one of the major reasons it's getting decriminalised all around the world.

It's been 40 years since I smoked any reefer but I would still like to say...................Hooray!!

Booze is 100 times a bigger problem to society in my opinion.

[pattayasnowman]

I think you need to distinguish between Dependancy and Addiction.

Whilst marijuana is non addictive it can still promote dependancy.

Having said that its about time smoking marijuana is decriminalised world wide.

To allow Alcohol consumption and Tobacco smoking both of which are addictive and in excess extremely harmful whilst the illogic of criminalising marijuana has around too long.

Frankly all 'reacreational' drugs need to be decriminalised and then tightly regulated .

Edited February 24, 2015 by pattayasnowman

[Tredz]

good job !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Exsexyman]

""When they start depending on smoking marijuana, I don't know how far they'd go to get the funds they need to support it, to support themselves," said Edward Nick, council member in Manokotak, a remote village of 400 that is predominantly Yup'ik Eskimo."

Just shows the old timer's distorted view on the herb. Nobody gets dependent on it, and that's probably one of the major reasons it's getting decriminalised all around the world.

It's been 40 years since I smoked any reefer but I would still like to say...................Hooray!!

Booze is 100 times a bigger problem to society in my opinion.

An interesting article in today's Independent newspaper would appear to agree with you.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/weed-is-114-times-less-deadly-than-alcohol-study-finds-10066496.html

[SiSePuede419]

Sad day for Alaska that will lead to lots of trouble.

You mean 114 times less trouble than alcohol?

http://boingboing.net/2015/02/23/cannabis-114-times-less-deadly.html

[kaorop]

Why do they even want to smoke it? To chill out? Cool man

i'd accept that opinion if 'they' would never see or listen to any form of art, past, present and future that

is created by artists using such substances.

till then just another 100% hypocrite

[FredNL]

So, when is Thailand going to follow Alaska?

[thefactoryoutlet]

New vacation spot !

[Asiantravel]

^{I just hope those that drive a car can handle the effects of this during the summer months on top of the weird sensation of living in almost perpetual daylight}

[Shot]

Sad day for Alaska that will lead to lots of trouble.

Why?

Take a close look at what's happening in Seattle and Denver.

Edit: BTW, I voted to legalize marijuana in Washington State, but am now regretting it. Who knows, perhaps the side effects Washington and Colorado are experiencing will diminish with country wide legalization.

Edited February 24, 2015 by Shot

[Nowisee]

That seals the deal for me now. Oregon, Alaska and Washington, legal weed.

I am heading there for the summers.

I also voted in Washington for legal weed and I do not regret it one bit. Sure there are going to be growing pains, but the whole world is watching...

[snarky66]

Not Oregon. Colorado. Alaska already tried this wrong headed experiment once & then later reversed themselves. Now they have this filthy stuff once again. Sad.

[colspeed]

Take a close look at what's happening in Seattle and Denver.

Edit: BTW, I voted to legalize marijuana in Washington State, but am now regretting it. Who knows, perhaps the side effects Washington and Colorado are experiencing will diminish with country wide legalization.

I'm sorry, I'm totally ignorant of what's happening in Seattle and Denver, could you please send us some websites? I would be very interested.

Thank You.

[NickJ]

Its been leagal in Alaska to grow your own for years......at least that what I remember reading twenty years ago.......

[CraigSchuler]

About time....Now if the remaining States would just follow suit.

[MZurf]

More and more states are legalizing gay marriage, and the same happens with pot. What's next - gun control laws? I see a United States of Amsterdam on the horizon - whopeeee!

[jdinasia]

The popping sound you just heard was Sarah Palin blowing a gasket. That gurgling sound is her kids with the bong.

[Jingthing]

More and more states are legalizing gay marriage, and the same happens with pot. What's next - gun control laws? I see a United States of Amsterdam on the horizon - whopeeee!

Same sex marriage equality will likely be the law of all the nation this year. Already federally recognized with a majority of states.

Legal pot nationwide ... that's a long way off.

Gun control? Fuggedaboutit!

[SiSePuede419]

Not Oregon. Colorado. Alaska already tried this wrong headed experiment once & then later reversed themselves. Now they have this filthy stuff once again. Sad.

Yeah, not Oregon because outside the metro Portland area ("Portlandia"), the state is full of ignorant, racist rednecks. Your racists were even so arrogant as to actually write it down in the Oregon State Constitution:

http://gizmodo.com/oregon-was-founded-as-a-racist-utopia-1539567040

Sure, Alaska is full of Teabillies, but it's more "live and let live" and they sure do love those gum'mint checks every year paid to every man, woman and child from Oil revenue TAX MONEY.

"Taxed Enough Already", 555 What a crock of shit.

Alaska people will LOVE the tax money rolling in from the sale of that sweet, sweet leaf Cannabis "The World's Safest Medicine"... safer than baby aspirin, tea or even water! Yes, more people have overdosed on drinking too much water than smoking weed.

Total deaths from cannabis overdoses: 0

[robblok]

So, when is Thailand going to follow Alaska?

When is the Netherlands going to make growing marijuana legal instead of just condoning use of it. Maybe when those moralist Christians are gone. Because its a stupid situation.

[Prbkk]

They'll need something stronger than marijuana to mellow Sarah Palin

[bendejo]

Remember that crazy speech Sarah Palin made a few weeks ago? I think she's doing edibles.

Oregon is legal, goes into effect July 1st. Taking the 'r' out of Portland! Washington state is legal but the laws are too strict, eg it's a felony to have your own plant(s).

The big attraction to legalization, politically, is that it's something new to tax (a sin tax) and every local gov't is licking their chops. Right now, in the shops in Washington state the price is at least 4 times what the cost would be if purchased unofficially. Let's see how Oregon handles it, but that won't be until next year.

I don't want Uncle Sam to legalize, because they'll not only tax it, they'll send Elliot Ness around to make sure they collect.