Alcoholic Beverage Control Board issues 'emergency regulation' regarding public marijuana use

On Tuesday, Ballot Proposition 2 went into effect.  The measure allows possession, consumption, transportation, and display of limited amounts of marijuana.  The state legislature and many local governments are in the process of crafting regulations.  While the initiative does allow marijuana consumption, public use is still banned.  What constitutes ‘public’ has yet to be defined by the legislature, however.  On Tuesday, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board issued an emergency regulation defining public to include places such as highways, transportation facilities, schools, places of business, parks, and playgrounds.  It also includes areas in hotels and apartments with public access, such as hallways and lobbies.

For the Upper Valley, all of which consists of unincorporated communities, the state regulations are the law of the land as of now.  The Mat-Su Borough has the option to impose certain restrictions within its boundaries, but has not yet done so.  The borough has established an advisory committee to take part in the crafting of any local regulations.

Sale of marijuana is not yet legal, though the ballot initiative passed last November does call on the State of Alaska to create regulations and a permitting process that will eventually allow commercial sales of the substance.

Update:  Alaska Governor Bill Walker’s office has released a PSA concerning some of the more commonly asked questions.