Proposition 2 will legalize the sale and recreational use of marijuana for adults. Proponents say it will lower conviction rates and raise money for the state. Opponents say it will cause more crime and will cost the state more than it could raise.
There are dozens of arguments for both sides of this bill. In July, there was a recorded debate between an advocate of proposition two and an opponent.
Taylor Bickford was the representative of Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Yes on 2, the campaign initiative trying to push proposition two. He opened his argument by stating that the proposition has support from Alaskans of all walks of life for a variety of reasons.
“Some see it as a liberty issue, some see it as an economic issue. Some understand that our medical marijuana system is broken and that passing ballot measure two will allow patients suffering from serious medical conditions to access their medication without fear of prosecution.”
Kristina Woolston represented the Vote No on Two: Big Marijuana, Big Mistake. She said in her opening statement that when she first began to learn about the proposition she was surprised to learn that the organization behind it was not Alaskan.
“I had no idea when this outside organization was talking about legalizing marijuana they were actually talking about the commercialization and advertising an extreme measure that allows for the aggressive advertising of edibles and concentrates. These are dangerous products, many of which are packaged and marketed towards our kids.”
Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol wants just that; legalize the use of marijuana by adults over the age of 21 and make it illegal to sell it without the proper licensing. In fact, the campaign is trying a new approach in its advertising. Signs showing beer, wine, liquor and marijuana below the words “Beer,” “Wine,” “Liquor” and “Safer.” A large red sticker is placed over the alcoholic drinks that reads “Our opponents AGREE!”
Bickford says this initiative will only lay out a nine month planning period for the state to come up with an official plan, so the state can have the option to choose which rules it wishes to set in place.
“And I think as the spokesperson for this effort, I absolutely support a wholesale ban on anything that could possibly be attractive to children. Nobody wants to see kids using marijuana. This is not just about the commercialization of the industry, it’s about ending prohibition. Prohibition has failed miserably and it’s failed for many of the same reasons alcohol prohibition failed.”
Woolston says Alaska should wait before it make any kind of decision on marijuana until there is more data from Washington and Colorado, two states that have legalized marijuana.
She says the problem with the commercialization of marijuana in Alaska is the fact that organization behind this proposition is a for profit group. She says when the drug is legal, use will go up and that makes money for outside, lower 48 interest groups.
“Well when you look at the ballot measure, they targeting Alaska for the specific reason that they knew there were some allowances in our law for this and they could get around that. And if you look at the pervasive nature of what is going on in Colorado, and there is no doubt it is everywhere in Colorado, and you cannot regulate a state that is on a road system, how are you going to regulate a state and monitor and track a state where you can get into a 206 and fly a half an hour to a village and nobody knows what you have with you.”
According to a study by the American Civil Liberties Union, in 2010 the state of Alaska had 2,000 marijuana in possession arrests, consisting of 80 percent of the all drug arrests in the state that year. Bickford says the money spent on those arrests could be better used to fight against hard drugs and serious crime. However, opponents of prop two, like Woolston say that the bill will only make it easier for young people and children to get their hands on the drugs.
There are two more months until Election Day. And although the two sides don’t see eye to eye on much when it comes to proposition two, there is something they agree on-- some action needs to take place in regards to marijuana in Alaska.