Alaska orders Anchorage marijuana club to shut down

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Marijuana businesses in Anchorage, Alaska, have for years now been pushing the envelope of what’s acceptable by state regulators, and recently they got another answer on one thing that’s not: cannabis social clubs.

The only club in Anchorage, Pot Luck Events, which has been operational since 2015, was ordered to close by the Alaska Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office (AMCO), which said the business was illegal and was risking the wrath of the U.S. Department of Justice, TV station KTUU…

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Pacific Northwest marijuana investment network set to launch

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Cannabis-related companies in Alaska, Oregon and Washington seeking capital may find some investors through the Cannabis Investment Network, an organization launching this week that aims to connect marijuana firms with financial backers.

Cannabis Investment Network (CIN) is hoping to serve smaller-scale firms that are looking to raise from $500,000 to $3 million, according to a news release. The self-described “angel group” will function more as a conduit to connect investors with potential investments, instead of…

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Alaska appoints top cannabis regulator

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Alaska Gov. Bill Walker has appointed an Anchorage planning official to lead the state’s Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office and the Marijuana Control Board.

Erika McConnell, who will start in late March, has worked for the city since 2003 in various roles, most recently in the Office of Economic and Community Development, the Alaska Journal of Commerce reported.


Spring 2017 MJBizConWhile in that role, she had some oversight of Anchorage’s alcohol licensing and created the city’s marijuana land-use code.

However, her cannabis record in Anchorage appears…

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White House’s words won’t deter rec marijuana states

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By John Schroyer

Despite ominous overtones from the White House, the eight states that have legalized recreational cannabis are proceeding full-bore, whether it’s with existing infrastructures or plans to establish new markets.

Governors and attorneys general responded in unison: They’ll honor voters’ wishes, and conduct business as usual while awaiting specific policies.

The cannabis industry’s future was called into question Thursday when President Donald Trump’s press secretary, Sean Spicer, said “greater enforcement” could…

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Alaska MJ entrepreneurs find way to ship product – commercial flights

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By John Schroyer

The legal marijuana industry in the United States has been built by pioneers willing to risk the wrath of authorities.

That tradition is continuing in Alaska, where a retail shop owner has pushed the legal envelope by flying across her immense state with carry-ons full of marijuana inventory for her store.

She’s done so with the explicit blessing of state officials, ranging from Alaska’s Marijuana Control Office to airport police, many of whom are eager to establish a functional system under which cannabis businesspeople…

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Alaska regulators seize imported CBD oil in raids

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Alaska officials raided an unspecified number of recreational cannabis shops and seized “thousands of dollars worth of imported CBD oil,” the Alaska Journal reported.

A news release from the Alaska Marijuana Control Office confirmed Thursday that “several retail stores” appeared to be in violation of state laws that mandate specific testing, labeling and packaging for marijuana products. But executives from those shops told the newspaper they were confused because the seized oils were derived from hemp, not marijuana.


Spring 2017 MJBizConThe incident…

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Alaska’s marijuana regulator asks for additional staffers

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Alaska’s acting head of cannabis regulation is asking for additional staff members to help to handle her agency’s workload, a sign that regulators are struggling to cope with the rollout of the state’s new adult-use industry.

Sara Chambers, the acting head of Alaska’s Alcohol & Marijuana Control Office, asked a state House budget panel this week for two more licensing examiners as well as an administrative assistant to help in regulating cannabis.


Spring 2017 MJBizConChambers’ office has been tasked with a growing list of duties after Alaska assigned…

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Hope remains for MJ consumption in Alaska rec shops

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Despite the recent rejection of an onsite cannabis consumption proposal by Alaska’s Alcohol and Marijuana Control Board, recreational marijuana shops in the state may still be able to allow customers to smoke, vape or munch edibles at their stores.

According to TV station KTUU, Alaskan cannabis retailers will still be able to get legal clearance to allow customers to consume their cannabis purchases at their shops, but only if those retailers deal with even more red tape.

The control board’s acting division chief, Sara Chambers,…

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Alaska spikes plan for cannabis use at rec stores

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In what was described as a “surprise” move by at least one local report, Alaska’s Marijuana Control Board on Thursday night jettisoned a proposal that would have allowed cannabis consumption at recreational marijuana retail shops.

The 3-2 vote to abandon the plan reflected fears that Jeff Sessions, President Trump’s choice for U.S. attorney general, could crack down on legalized recreational marijuana programs, the Alaska Dispatch News reported. Sessions has been an outspoken critic of marijuana use.

If the proposal had gone…

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Alaska MJ business owners concerned over advertising rules

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Business owners in Alaska’s newly formed recreational cannabis industry can add advertising to the list of issues they face.

Last fall, Alaska became the fourth U.S. state to roll out an adult-use marijuana program, and it quickly ran into supply problems.


Marijuana Business License DirectoryNow marijuana business owners are attempting to wade through murky advertising rules to determine if what they’re doing complies with state and federal law.

According to the Alaska Dispatch News, the state’s Marijuana Control Board met recently to discuss advertising regulations and…

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Alaska’s top cannabis regulator is resigning

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Alaska’s top cannabis official, Cynthia Franklin, is stepping down from her post to take another job in the state government.

Franklin said Jan. 6 will be her last day as director of Alaska’s Alcohol & Marijuana Control office (AMCO), according to Alaska Public Media.

In 2014, she was appointed head of the Alcoholic Beverages Control Board, which morphed into the AMCO after Alaskans passed a recreational cannabis referendum on Nov. 4 of that year.


Marijuana Business License DirectoryFranklin, who has been an attorney since 1989, will next serve as assistant attorney…

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Rec cannabis store gets warning for potential violation of Alaska rules

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Alaska’s marijuana regulatory agency has shown some leniency toward a recreational marijuana store in Anchorage that was charged with violating the law by handing out free samples before it had opened.

The mistake stalled the Arctic Herbery’s bid for a retail license, but the Alaska Marijuana Control Board is letting the store’s owner off with only a warning, the Peninsula Clarion reported.


Conference Deadline ApproachingThe board decided Thursday not to prosecute Bryant Thorp for the first alleged violation of the state’s commercial marijuana rules, according…

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Free samples stall Anchorage rec marijuana store’s opening

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The Anchorage Assembly has postponed the opening of what would have been the city’s first recreational marijuana shop, alleging that the store owner violated state laws by giving away free samples.

Assembly members unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday night to suspend final inspections that are required for Arctic Herbery to open for business, according to Alaska Public Media. The assembly passed the resolution after the Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office issued two violations in two weeks against store owner Bryant Thorp for handing…

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First AK rec marijuana shop opens to long line; another bid nixed

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Alaska’s first recreational marijuana store opened Saturday with dozens waiting in line in the rain, one day after the state’s cannabis licensing board for the first time rejected a retail license application amid concerns over an out-of-state company’s stake in the business.

Herbal Outfitters opened in Valdez at noon local time Saturday, almost two years after voters in the state gave their OK to legalize recreational marijuana.


Conference Deadline ApproachingHerbal Outfitters owner Rick Ballow is a Valdez native who returned from Arizona for the opportunity to…

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Alaska’s recreational cannabis market just weeks from debut

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alaska marijuana

By John Schroyer

The fourth recreational marijuana market in the United States is nearly here.

Alaska’s adult-use industry is just a few weeks from the first retail sales, according to estimates by multiple sources. The first rec shop, Frozen Budz, could open in Fairbanks before the end of the month.

The last hurdle is that local and state authorities must clear testing labs to open so cultivators can have their crops checked for potency and microbial contaminants. After that, growers will be allowed to begin supplying retailers, the first…

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First Cannabis Harvest Underway in Alaska

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The first legal commercial marijuana harvests have commenced in Alaska, meaning the state is one step closer to kicking off the latest adult-use cannabis market in this country.

At least seven of the 12 licensed cultivators in the state have begun harvesting their grows for soon-to-open rec shops, according to the Alaska Dispatch News. Some began harvesting up to a month ago, the paper reported.

License Directory SidebarThose cultivators which look like they’ll be first to market include Greatland Ganja, Rosie Creek Farm, Subsistence Products, Pakalolo Supply Co.,…

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Week in Review: Michigan Medical Cannabis Firms in Limbo, MA to the Rescue, Alaska Crawls Ahead

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By John Schroyer and Omar Sacirbey

Michigan medical marijuana businesses ponder their future under a new regulatory system, Massachusetts hopes to jump-start its MMJ program, and Alaska’s rec rollout proceeds at a snail’s pace.

Here’s a closer look at some notable developments in the marijuana industry over the past week.

Mulling Michigan

Michigan’s MMJ businesses wonder how life will change after lawmakers approved a statewide regulatory system for the industry. Gov. Rick Snyder is expected to sign the legislation.

What is clear: The…

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Regulator Expects Alaska’s Rec MJ Sales to Begin By February

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Alaska’s top marijuana regulator predicted that recreational marijuana will be available for public purchase in the state by next February.

But Alaska cannabis entrepreneurs are unhappy with that timeline, noting it’s been two years since the state’s voters approved adult-use marijuana, Alaska Public Media reported.

MJBizCrashCourse“I believe that by the time we arrive at February 2017 we will have stores that are operating; we will have product manufacturers that are making products, which have been individually approved by this board – which is…

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Prominent Travel Writer: ‘Get Ready’ for Age of MJ Tourism

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One of the most well-known travel writers in the world, Arthur Frommer, predicted recently that cannabis tourism is going to become big business after the November election, when up to five more states could legalize recreational use.

If accurate, marijuana tourism would present additional opportunities for entrepreneurs looking to capitalize on the legalization of marijuana.

“The prospects seem strong that marijuana is now about to be added to beer and wine as a permissible product to order,” Frommer wrote in a column last week, the…

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Alaska Regulators Approve First Retail Rec Marijuana License

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Alaska regulators have begun approving the first retail marijuana licenses under the state’s recreational cannabis law.

Frozen Budz, the first establishment, will be located in Fairbanks, the Associated Press reported. Frozen Budz’s co-owner, Destiny Neade, hopes to open her shop by about Oct. 1, assuming she can source enough marijuana from growers.

MJBizCrashCourseThe Marijuana Control Board began approving cultivation and testing licenses in June, with the aim of getting growers and testing labs up and running before retailers, in the hopes of…

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AK Board Set To Approve First Rec Marijuana Retailers, Manufacturers

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The Alaska Marijuana Control Board is meeting today and tomorrow to approve what will be the first licenses for recreational marijuana retailers and manufacturing facilities in the state.

According to the board’s agenda, nearly 20 retail stores are listed for review, broadcaster KTVA reported.

MJBizCrashCourseThe Marijuana Control Board is expected to consider dozens of other marijuana business license applications as well, and debate whether certain retail stores will be allowed to have areas on their premises where customers can consume their cannabis,…

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U.S. Bank Tells Alaska MJ Agency No Credit Card Payments

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One of the nation’s largest banks has told Alaska’s Alcohol & Marijuana Control Office it can no longer accept credit card payments for marijuana licenses, a move that will no doubt crimp cannabis entrepreneurs trying to reduce their reliance on cash.

U.S. Bank didn’t go into details about the reasoning behind its decision, the Alaska Journal of Commerce reported, noting only that marijuana is illegal in the eyes of the federal government.

“Although legalized in many states, marijuana remains illegal under federal law,” the bank…

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Anchorage Cannabis Rep Fills AK Regulatory Board Vacancy

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The chair of the Anchorage Cannabis Business Association is joining Alaska’s Marijuana Control Board, filling a four-week-old vacancy and bringing a second industry representative to the regulatory body.

Nick Miller, who plans to open a recreational store in Anchorage, was appointed by Governor Bill Walker, according to the Alaska Journal. Walker fired Miller’s predecessor, former board chairman Bruce Schulte, on July 29.

Schulte, after he was removed, accused Walker and his administration of deliberately trying to sabotage the state’s…

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Week in Review: Big Legal Victory, Nervous Credit Union & Unrequited Love in MA

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By Omar Sacirbey and John Schroyer

The marijuana industry scores a big legal victory, a credit union in Alaska gets cold feet, and a Massachusetts city nixes a controversial business deal with a medical cannabis dispensary.

Here’s a closer look at some notable developments in the marijuana industry over the past week.

A Big Win … For Now

A federal appeals court in San Francisco this week sided with the legal marijuana industry against the U.S. Department of Justice, ruling the federal government couldn’t spend money to prosecute…

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Alaska Credit Union Ending Ties With MJ-Related Accounts

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A federally chartered credit union in Alaska has moved to sever ties with 10 personal accounts linked to individuals launching cannabis-related businesses.

The decision by the Alaska USA Federal Credit Union underscores the hurdles marijuana entrepreneurs continue to face when dealing with banks and credit unions. Alaska’s new recreational MJ market is attracting prospective entrants.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported the credit union took the unusual step of breaking ties with the personal account holders as a preemptive move – one…

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Alaska Board Accused of Undermining Marijuana Program

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Members of Alaska’s Marijuana Control Board and some officials in the administration of Gov. Bill Walker are trying to slow the rollout of the state’s new recreational MJ program, an outgoing board member charged.

Bruce Schulte, who was removed from the five-member marijuana board last Friday by Gov. Walker, alleged that obstructionists on the board and in Walker’s administration were establishing unreasonably strict regulations that would hurt new cannabis businesses, according to Anchorage NBC affiliate KTUU.

“There’s an…

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AK Agency Passes On-Site MJ Consumption Amendment

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Alaska’s Marijuana Control Board on Thursday approved an amendment to the state’s draft regulations governing on-site cannabis consumption that would permit customers to take a doggy bag home with any unused product they didn’t consume at retail MJ shops.

Alaska is expected to have the first on-site marijuana consumption program in the nation.

The amendment would permit consumers to buy cannabis at licensed on-site cannabis retailers, and then leave the store with any leftover marijuana products as long as they’re resealed in a…

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Marijuana Testing Labs Almost Online in Southeast Alaska

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A key component in southeast Alaska’s upcoming recreational cannabis industry is almost complete: Marijuana testing labs in Juneau, the state capital, are expected to be licensed soon.

That’s important for local cannabis entrepreneurs. All marijuana must be lab-tested under state law in Alaska, and cultivators can’t ship their MJ via air or sea under federal laws, according to the Alaska Dispatch News.

At least two labs look like they’re on the verge of obtaining business permits: Southeast Alaska Labs and Juneau Cannabis Testing…

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