Opinions

Send cannabis advice to lawmakers and elected officials

The state of Alaska is at a critical juncture in the establishment of the regulatory environment for the fledgling cannabis industry. Those of us who are part of this industry, and have played active roles getting Ballot Measure 2 passed, want to see strict adherence to the intent and wording of the initiative. We want to see the creation of reasonable common-sense legislation and regulations based on the long established successful control of the alcohol industry.

Those who have opposed the legalization of marijuana are doing as expected and predicted. They are attempting to carve up the regulatory process, and delay implementation of portions of the voter-approved initiative. Their intent is to dismantle the industry before it becomes established and proves that it is a legitimate, viable economic force in Alaska. These opponents take these actions based on their own personal beliefs, or those of special-interest minorities, while ignoring the will of the majority of the populace -- they believe they know better than the public.

So much of the rhetoric against marijuana is grounded in ignorance and/or misinformation about the substance and its effects. There have been decades of inaccuracy, misinformation and propaganda since President Richard Nixon established the War on Drugs machine (and yes, I have been around that long). The cannabis industry sincerely appreciates the legitimate concerns of those in the medical and mental health community regarding substance abuse. It is a historical reality that there will always be a small percentage of the populace who cannot control themselves, and need help and support regardless of whether a substance is legal or not. We fully support seeing tax revenues from both the cannabis and alcohol industries being applied to reimburse the state's administrative expenses, and funding substance abuse education/treatment programs and the public education system. We believe this to be a much more correct path to follow now -- prohibition has proven it does not work, and does nothing to support these groups.

In view of how important this stage of implementing the legal structure of the cannabis industry is, it is time to remind the voters of Alaska of the power they hold. You clearly stated your position on legalizing marijuana with your vote in front of the whole country. Ballot Measure 2 passed with 53.23 percent of the total vote. We believe that with a higher turnout of supporters, the initiative would have passed by close to 60 percent, which it did in many districts. Now we need you, the public, to reinforce your vote by contacting our governor, legislators, borough assembly/city council members and state policymakers. Let them know we expect reasonable legislation to be passed that strictly follows the language and timeline written in the ballot measure. We voted to have our cannabis industry regulated the same as the alcohol industry has been for decades. There is no wiggle room in that, no reason for some legislators to decide, in their view, what is best for the public.

We respect that Gov. Bill Walker, who opposed the ballot initiative, has stated he will respect the vote of the electorate, and his administration will adhere to the required timeline.

On the other hand, Rep. Paul Seaton of Homer has pre-filed a bill to make major negative changes to terms passed in the ballot initiative. He was unopposed in the recent election, and apparently believes that is his authority to defy the vote of the people despite his district passing the initiative by 54 percent. There are other politicians who are openly fighting the legalization process. In Anchorage a proposed ban of cannabis within the municipality was voted down soundly 9-2, but then the ban's author and the other nay voters were appointed to a panel of three to study the cannabis issue for their Assembly -- kind of like putting the fox in the henhouse. In Fairbanks, Mayor Luke Hopkins has taken a realistic position on cannabis and has proposed a work group to study the matter. However, he has not agreed to have industry representatives appointed to the group. Fairbanks Borough Assemblyman Lance Roberts has been a vocal opponent throughout the campaign.

The organizers who wrote and promoted the cannabis legalization campaign managed to effectively get the initiative passed despite minimal funding and little coordination between the various pro-cannabis groups. The industry is now coalescing and working together to lobby for reasonable legislation that follows the terms of the initiative. In two more years this industry group will be much stronger financially and politically. Those elected officials who are creating obstacles and introducing changes to the cannabis legislation that modify or void any part of the initiative should heed this growing force. It is expected that the industry will endorse candidates that support cannabis issues, and who run against politicians that have opposed them.

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We encourage the public to contact their elected officials. For state legislators, make it clear you expect them to honor the will of the electorate, and pass the laws necessary to regulate marijuana the same as alcohol. For city and borough officials, let them know you welcome the cannabis industry, and expect it to have the same rules as apply to liquor stores, bars and breweries. Don't sit back and let others express your wishes for you. Don't let politicians make decisions based on their opinions and ignore the will of the electorate. Don't let our gains be lost. Exercise your rights. Call your officials, email them or send a Public Opinion Message online at www.legis.state.ak.us/poms.

We are not a shy bunch; speak out, Alaskans.

Cole Hollister is a 50-year resident of Fairbanks. He retired in 2012 after 30 years successfully running his own business, and plans on starting a cannabis business with his family. He was active in the campaign to pass Ballot Measure 2, and is a member of the Campaign for Responsible Cannabis Legislation.

The views expressed here are the writer's own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)alaskadispatch.com.

Cole Hollister

Cole Hollister is a 50-year resident of Fairbanks. He retired after 30 years of successfully running his own business in 2012, and plans on starting a cannabis business with his family. He was actively involved in the campaign to pass Ballot Measure 2, and is a member of the Campaign for Responsible Cannabis Legislation.

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