Before long, consumption in Alaska could look a lot more like the coffeeshops of Amsterdam. Alaska is said to Become the First State With Legal Cannabis Cafés.
Businesses allowing onsite consumption could become part of the state’s cannabis culture as soon as this summer.
One important distinction is that the proposal as it currently stands will allow only cannabis-infused edibles to be consumed on site. The Alaska Marijuana Board, which will have ultimate authority over the cafés, is still debating whether the establishments will be able actually to sell cannabis edibles or whether consumers will have to bring their own.
In addition, municipalities will still have the option to ban cannabis businesses, and Anchorage is already seeing problems on the horizon. Anchorage has a ban on public consumption, which means retailers that might otherwise be licensed for onsite consumption could face bureaucratic red tape in trying to open a business within the city limits.
The state’s legalization initiative technically forbids public consumption, too, but it doesn’t define what constitutes a public place.
Potential legal battles aside, this announcement bodes well for the future of cannabis in the Land of the Midnight Sun. The state board is slated to begin accepting applications for cannabis business licenses on Feb. 24 and is expected to start issuing licenses in late May.
Read the full article from the Source: Alaska to Become the First State With Legal Cannabis Cafés – Leafly
