Legal marijuana arrives quietly, but still work to do

This editorial originally appeared in the Wednesday edition of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Marijuana became legal across Alaska on Tuesday, and the sky didn’t fall. Nor did many expect it to; the angst surrounding marijuana legalization mostly surrounded commercialization, not personal use.

Still, it was good to see Alaskans marking the occasion responsibly, with those celebrating the drug’s new legal status doing so privately and with regard to others who might not view it in a positive light. But despite Alaskans’ measured approach to legalization, the state and municipalities still have much work to do if they want to make sure the Last Frontier’s transition goes smoothly.

Opposition to marijuana legalization in Alaska focused mainly on concentrates, commercialization and children. There was little argument about the negative effects of, say, smoking a single joint — what raised more concern was more potent forms of the drug, like concentrated oils and solids with high levels of THC, marijuana’s active ingredient.

Those concentrates are more potent and more likely to cause ill effects, especially among those unfamiliar with the drug. But they’re also far less accessible to the layman than the buds of the plant.

Commercialization was also a concern. Many in the state have expressed fears that legalizing the commercial sale of marijuana will lead to a “green rush” of big Outside businesses that will care little for Alaska’s communities and focus solely on maximizing sales.

These concerns are grounded in reality. Where pioneering marijuana states Colorado and Washington have encountered problems, it has largely been with the commercial aspects of legalization rather than personal use.

It will fall to the state and municipalities to draft common-sense laws and ordinances that provide for commercialization of marijuana as specified under Ballot Measure 2, while still respecting the wishes of community members and the desire by parents to keep the drug well regulated so that it doesn’t result in increased use by minors or in public areas.

So far, municipalities around the state have done a good job at starting to establish the boundaries for personal possession and use locally. Over the next year, they and the state government must work hard to make sure they can build similar boundaries for commercial enterprises.

One example of unintended negative effects of legalization in Colorado was the rise in edible marijuana products packaged in such a way as to be attractive to children. Giving marijuana producers and retailers the benefit of the doubt, they may well not have intentionally targeted children with edibles like “Krondike” bars. But the potential for confusion between THC-laden edibles and regular groceries was serious.

State legislators there recognized this failing of their commercialization laws and are working to amend them. If they work diligently, Alaska lawmakers should be able to get it right the first time.

Working diligently is the key phrase. With personal use and possession laws, legislators first drafted a law that didn’t abide by the spirit of the ballot measure and had to throw it out and waste much precious time re-drafting a more comprehensive bill.

That bill, which — fortunately — all agree will be a more workable solution, is still making its way through committees in the Legislature, even as marijuana is legal today. That means state laws banning possession of small amounts of the drug are still on the books, a legal grey area that is only not an issue due to the good faith of law enforcement officers in understanding that enforcing those laws in the interim would be unfortunate and costly for all involved.

With commercialization, delays and do-overs on laws will be difficult for the state, municipalities and entrepreneurs. The state should make every effort to get laws set up well and on time.

Fortunately, the good people of Alaska are proving responsible so far in their exercise of legal rights. But the potential for abuse and negative consequences exists if commercial frameworks aren’t well designed.

– newsminer.com