Alaska News

Mat-Su Borough creates marijuana advisory committee

PALMER -- The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly this week moved ahead with two resolutions intended to give Valley residents a say in local and state marijuana regulation.

The Valley is already home to a thriving underground marijuana industry, residents here told officials at a crowded meeting last week, and needs to chart a course for legitimacy.

The borough Assembly on Tuesday night approved the formation of a 17-member Marijuana Advisory Committee, with members to include a marijuana grower and a non-marijuana farmer as well as representatives from the fields of health, education, government, marketing and the borough's three cities, as well as three people who live outside city limits.

The committee will advise the Assembly on aspects of the new law that pertain to cities and the borough; research how other municipalities are dealing with aspects of legalization such as land-use, law enforcement and taxes; and make recommendations about borough input to state policymakers. Assembly member Jim Sykes proposed the committee. The group will report to the Assembly at least quarterly, Sykes said in an email. Its term expires in June 2018.

The Assembly in a 5-1 vote also approved a list of issues the borough wants state lawmakers to address as they draft marijuana regulations. Among them: a ban on non-Alaska produced pot "to curb the black market sales and support Alaskan agriculture"; restrictions on packaging that's "enticing" to minors; and differentiating between cannabis used in recreational, medicinal and industrial markets.

Assembly member Vern Halter was the lone nay vote.

Zaz Hollander

Zaz Hollander is a veteran journalist based in the Mat-Su and is currently an ADN local news editor and reporter. She covers breaking news, the Mat-Su region, aviation and general assignments. Contact her at zhollander@adn.com.

ADVERTISEMENT