Marijuana in Alaska

Alaska has been on the forefront of marijuana legalization since the 1900s. Whether it be decriminalization or legalization, Alaska has been among the first states to approve of marijuana use. Marijuana has mostly been looked down upon due to its misconceptions portrayed through the media. But the benefits of marijuana have slowly been introduced to the public and more and more states are legalizing it.

In the early part of the 19th Century many states had put a prohibition on marijuana. In 1937 the Marihuana Tax Act prohibited cannabis at the federal level. Then in 1970 the Controlled Substances Act was put in place classifying marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug. After this in 1973 Oregon was the first state to decriminalize marijuana giving only a penalty of a $100 fine. Soon after in 1975 Alaska followed suit and imposed a $100 fine as well, making the drug decriminalized. By 1986 Alaska had allowed the possession of up to 4 ounces of marijuana in home and up to 1 ounce out of the home. But after such a hopeful beginning the possession of small amounts of marijuana in 1990 was now a misdemeanor with punishment of up to 90 days in jail or a $1000 fine. The people of Alaska decided to take the fight for marijuana in their own hands when in 1998 the voters passed Measure 8. This bill legalized medical cannabis only for those who were qualifying. Although it was medically legal there was no legal way to obtain this medical marijuana. Then in 2014 voters with 53% in favor passed Measure 2 or The Alaska Marijuana Legalization Initiative. This bill legalized the regulation, production, sale, and use of recreational marijuana. And finally in early 2019 a law allowed for each local government to determine its own onsite regulations (Is Weed).

Media has always played a huge role in how people view marijuana. Many of the early propaganda tactics were to scare people into thinking marijuana was a killer drug. Many posters with anti-marijuana propaganda were made depicting the drug as hopelessly addictive, and evil. The film Reefer Madness was an over the top fabrication of the affects of marijuana. These media views of marijuana were farfetched and gave people a false sense of the drug. The drug was also has racial ties. More people of color were being put into prison for possession of marijuana than whites. Black Americans are four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana. Black Americans make up 30% of drug-related arrests but only account for 12.5% of users (Pearl). But now people have been informed of its many benefits and far less of this negativity is being portrayed. Alaska's Public Media came out with a video after the legalization of recreational marijuana in 2016 giving a look into the future of marijuana in the state.

Starting in 1998 Alaska voters passed Measure 8 with a whopping 58% approval which allowed the use of medical marijuana to people who had a debilitating disease and got authorization from their doctor (Alaska). This kind of bill was becoming popular during this time. It was a way for states to get their foot in the door of the marijuana industry. Even though it was still a Schedule 1 drug and was illegal at the federal level, the people still wanted access. Marijuana is extremely beneficial to patients who have a debilitating disease who are seeing no benefits from prescription drugs. And those patients were frustrated that the government was not allowing them the medicine they needed to feel better. The first medical marijuana dispensary in Alaska, Herbal Outfitters, saw over 1000 people within the first few days. And some of those patients drove over 8 hours to get their medicine (Shmoyer). This just shows how important medical marijuana is to those who need it most.

With the passing of Measure 8 in 1998, Alaska was now moving to the legalization of recreational marijuana. In 2014 Alaska passed the bill Measure 2 for legal recreational marijuana. This allowed people 21 and older to possess up to one ounce of marijuana and grow six plants. The campaign contributors that supported this bill spent $1,022,230 while their opposition spent $1,306,447. This was obviously a big decision for Alaskans. The supporters of the bill used alcohol as their main source of argument. Stating the facts about alcohol and showing how much worse it is than marijuana. If something so harmful such as alcohol is legal, why isn't marijuana legal? One of the most famous supporters of Measure 2 is Charlo Greene. Charlo was a news caster who quit her job on air with the famous lines "Fuck it, I quit" so she could focus on her own marijuana company, the Alaska Cannabis Club. This was a great form of publicity for the legalization of marijuana. Although it might have been unprofessional, Charlo was still an inspiration for marijuana users and was a strong force in the passing of Measure 2.

Alaska now has both recreational and medicinal marijuana legalized. Alaska is one of the 17 states/districts where cannabis is fully legal. More states are beginning to start legalizing medical marijuana which is where these other 17 states began. The benefits of the drug are being shown and more people are wanting to legalize it. With the support of these people passing bills like Measure 8 and Measure 2 from Alaska soon the government will be at a crossroads with the drug being Schedule 1 and every state allowing the use. Hopefully the prohibition of marijuana at the federal level will be lifted and everyone can enjoy marijuana when they are of age.

“Is Weed Legal In Alaska? Alaska Marijuana Laws.” Weedmaps, weedmaps.com/learn/laws-and-regulations/alaska. 

Pearl, Betsy. “Ending the War on Drugs: By the Numbers.” Center for American Progress, www.americanprogress.org/issues/criminal-justice/reports/2018/06/27/452819/ending-war-drugs-numbers/. 

“Alaska Medical Marijuana Act, Measure 8 (1998).” Ballotpedia, ballotpedia.org/Alaska_Medical_Marijuana_Act,_Measure_8_(1998). 

Schmoyer, Kyle. “Alaska Opens Its First Recreational Dispensary.” Westword, 4, 26 Oct. 2019, www.westword.com/marijuana/alaska-opens-its-first-recreational-dispensary-8473631.