The state’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Board director has given recommendations to the agency’s board members on how to improve the rollout of marijuana regulation in the coming months.
During her trip to Colorado last month, Board director Cynthia Franklin realized Alaska won’t face the same problems in its marijuana regulations.
“What we were able to see a lot in Colorado were Colorado’s problems,” Franklin says. “Alaska’s problems are going to be different from Colorado problems.”
During a public presentation to the agency’s five-member board on Thursday, Franklin outlined potential problems she foresees when marijuana becomes legal Feb. 24.
Franklin says the manufacture of edible products is an issue in Colorado. She says the state first allowed edibles with 10 milligrams of THC per serving—a dose she says is too high for first-time users.
“We don’t have those on the shelves. We’re starting from zero. It’s my opinion that if we’re starting from zero and we know that five milligrams is a start-lo, go-slow amount, we should pick five,” Franklin says.
Franklin says Alaska’s legal definition of edibles should exclude pre-made food or drinks that have been infused with marijuana. For example, she says a package of Haribo gummy bears sprayed with marijuana concentrate should not as count as an edible product. However, edibles made from scratch would be legal. It’s this lack of distinction in Colorado’s definition of edibles that Franklin says is problematic.
“Colorado has regulated itself into that giant grey market loophole. We do not have to go there,” Franklin says.
Board member Ellen Ganley says the definition of edibles should be discussed when the agency begins drafting the state’s marijuana regulations.
“I think the edible issue is one we really have to work out. The way Colorado manufacturers have been taking recognizable candy and adding THC…I think we’ve got to think long and hard about that,” Ganley says.
The ABC Board has until Nov. 24, 2016 to set regulations for the sale and manufacturing of marijuana. The legislature has the authority to establish a marijuana control board at any time to assume responsibility for regarding marijuana. Franklin says creating another agency would be a waste of resources.
“It doesn’t make a lot sense to have new officers, new licensing staff, a new director, a new board and new agents all at once. It sounds a little bit like a recipe for disaster,” Franklin says.
Franklin proposes hiring six staff members to handle marijuana regulation. She says the agency’s budget is essentially in the “red” and that they’ll work with the state’s Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development to find additional funding.
The ABC Board will meet again on Feb. 24 to begin the nine-month process of drafting regulations.
