Marijuana initiative moves closer to ballot

Frontiersman.com

Alaska moved a step nearer to asking voters to decide whether to change marijuana laws in the Last Frontier to regulate the substance in ways similar to alcohol.

Backers of the ballot initiative turned in more than 45,000 signatures to the Division of Elections in Anchorage on Jan. 8, about 15,000 signatures more than needed.

If placed on the ballot and approved by voters, the proposed initiative would make possession of limited amounts of marijuana legal for adults 21 years of age or older and establish a system to regulate marijuana similarly to rules used for alcohol.

Now the Division of Elections has 60 days to review the initiative. If it certifies the petition, the initiative will go to voters in the Aug. 19 primary election.