State Board Proposes Alaska's First Marijuana Regulations

Alaska's first draft marijuana regulations, proposed Thursday during an Alcoholic Beverage Control Board meeting in Anchorage, address what it means to help someone grow marijuana and what local-option law will look like.

The meeting at the downtown Legislative Information Office attracted about two dozen spectators, who lined a large conference room, surrounding board members and agency staff at a table in the center of the room.

A general sense of optimism prevailed among the audience members, many of whom hoped to start marijuana businesses.

Ronda Marcy, a paralegal who hopes to open a commercial grow, called the meeting "a positive step in the right direction."

Theresa Collins, owner of the Pot Luck Events marijuana club, said, "I feel really positive about the industry and the direction it's going."

The meeting opened with public testimony, with a focus on the importance of access to medical marijuana and the safety of medical marijuana products and testing facilities, among other issues.

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