AMCB regulation changes affect local dispensaries

WASILLA — Local cannabis retail store owners are preparing for the rollout of curbside delivery in different ways as they respond to the 3-2 decision by the Alaska Marijuana Control Board to approve regulations that would allow for curbside pickup from dispensaries.

“We are just so fortunate that we were deemed essential to stay open, otherwise we would be hurting drastically,” said Green Degree CEO Kerby Coman. “I think it is a smart move reducing the surface to surface contact.”

When asked at his Friday press conference on COVID 19 if he would sign the emergency regulations, Gov. Mike Dunleavy said he had not yet seen the document. Dunleavy’s Deputy Director of Communications Jeff Turner said that the regulations would be sent to Lt. Governor Kevin Meyer’s desk early next week.

“I’m hoping that it does loosen up some, it seems like Alaska’s the best case scenario for the rest of the U.S.,” said Matanuska Cannabis Company co-founder Chad Ragsdale. “We don’t have a lot of cases, it’s not spreading rapidly but if we loosen it up, does it start to? I mean that’s where we’re all at, we just don’t know.”

Ragsdale is hesitant to change the delivery of services by MCC employees amidst the speculation of how pending regulation changes could alter the way dispensaries operate. Any regulations would expire in 120 days. Ragsdale said he considered closing Matanuska Cannabis Company before Health Mandates 11 and 12 were issued by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services.

“When the mandate came out and I was able to kind of look at it and see if we could work in that with the advice of our council and I had some of my employees step forward, they said they were fine and that they would continue to work,” said Ragsdale.

Ragsdale lost a portion of his staff that felt uncomfortable working around others and as a result has had to curtail the hours that MCC is open. With a large space to operate out of in Butte, five customers can be inside the doors of MCC at one time and maintain the limit of 10 per room with the five staff members. Ragsdale said that the bench in MCC has served as a waiting area for the assembly line of customers moving through the shop.

“They let alcohol be delivered. I think it would become easier if they really want to stop the traffic flow into the shops, letting delivery happen would probably be the best way with proper guidance,” said Ragsdale.

Ragsdale advocates for delivery to be regulated, but remains skeptical about curbside delivery in Butte. Prior to the release of Health Mandates 11 and 12, staff at MCC were wearing masks, gloves, and deep cleaning surfaces daily to prevent the spread of germs.

“If it does start spreading rapidly, what happens then to the last few employees I have? Can you keep your doors open safely for the public and for my team that’s what I have to think about every day and every night. That’s pretty much been my life for the last month,” said Ragsdale.

Ragsdale said he was impressed with how Dunleavy has handled the coronavirus outbreak in Alaska. Across the Valley at Green Degree’s two locations in Wasilla, Coman has not reduced the hours of operation and is even considering expanding hours. With two customers allowed inside Green Degree to maintain the limit of 10 per room, Coman feels that more hours would result in a wider spread of customers and therefore less potential spread of infection. Coman has also dealt with employees who do not want to be around others and in some cases moved employees away from customers. Coman said that his employees have asked Green Degree’s customers to call ahead when possible and will begin training for curbside delivery over the weekend.