November will bring the election that decides whether Alaska makes marijuana legal or not. However, this controversial measure is not going to be as clear cut as some might wish.
There are opposing thoughts on both sides of the aisle, and lots of personal opinions, anecdotes as well as studies with hard facts to back either side up.
So let’s look at the facts. Ballot measure two would tax and regulate the production, sale and use of marijuana in Alaska. Prop two would make the use of marijuana legal for anyone 21 or older as well as allow a person to possess, use, show, buy or grow set amounts.
Proponents of prop two say regulating marijuana would simply regulate an industry that is already in the state and bring money to Alaska. Political director for the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Chris Rempert spoke in favor of the measure at a statewide meeting in September in Ketchikan. He says the passage of prop two would allow law enforcement to redirect resources to harsher crimes, reduce youth access to marijuana and boost the state’s economy.
“We know that marijuana is already here. We have the highest rates of use in the country with over 100,000 Alaskans currently using marijuana. So we’re not deciding about whether or not to allow marijuana into Alaska, we know it’s already here, we’re just talking about who should manage it. Do we want the criminal underground market to continue managing this multi-million dollar industry or do we want to put it in the hands of responsible tax-paying businesses and into the hands of honest state regulators?”
Supporters of ballot measure two site Colorado and Washington as states to model Alaska after. Earlier this year, the Colorado Department of Revenue issued a report stating the total demand in 2014 is 130 metric tons of marijuana, with more than 10 metric tons claimed by tourists. In the cities, the majority of pot went to residents of Colorado but in the mountain communities 90 percent of sales went to out-of-staters.
Spokesperson for No on Two Charles Fedullo spoke on APRN’s Talk of Alaska with Steve Heimel last month. He says the real problem he sees with legalizing marijuana is in the strength of the pot.
“The problems here are yes, there are a lot of people using marijuana but what this will do is bring products forward that have such an increase in the percentage of THC that will it will become more dangerous. This isn’t the same marijuana that was used at Woodstock, this is not the same marijuana that was used where a joint had minimal effect. Rolling Stone has talked about how intense the high is with just the size of a Tic-Tak when you use some of these edibles and enhanced marijuana products.”
In the spring of this year, the Alaska Republican Part came out against prop two. However, last month a small group of Alaska conservatives came out in support of the measure. Talk radio host Eddie Burke and Alaska Republican Party district chair Bruce Schulte were among those conservatives that support prop two. Burke says he supports ballot measure two based on his conservative political beliefs.
“I think there’s resistance within the Republican Party, within the conservative movement. But you know what I’ve found? When you start talking to people about liberties and freedoms and whether or not they should have the right to make these decisions for themselves-- because that’s what republicans are all about. That’s what the party is about. It’s about freedom, individual liberty, responsibility. And when you start talking to conservatives within the party about those issues, they come over and they are on our side. There’s a lot of republicans that I’ve talked to that may not come out publically but they’re going to vote yes on ballot measure two.”
Schulte says the state would benefit economically from passing ballot measure two.
“When you talk about the economic aspect of this you have to look not just at revenue brought in but money saved. Law enforcement is spending huge amounts of money to arrest, try and incarcerate people. To me that’s wasted money. That’s money that should be used to go after real crime and real criminals.”
Executive director of the Alaska Association of Chiefs of Police Kalie Claysmat spoke with Steve Heimel about the problems law enforcement will face with the passage of this law. She says Alaska wouldn’t actually save that much money in law enforcement if prop two passed.
“The numbers of people that are imprisoned and so forth now that are convicted of marijuana, the numbers are very, very small. The majority of them have a lot of other charges as well. So it’s not like the doors are going to open and people are going to go free. I mean, we have a lot of simultaneous or concurrent convictions for anything from sexual assault to misconduct involving weapons, it’s going to be a problem.”
There are strong emotions and opinions on both sides. And even as the campaigning continues on both sides, the fate of marijuana in Alaska will be up to the residents in about a month.