As per the latest news, Alaska’s marijuana and alcohol regulatory boards would be snipped off under the Dunleavy budget. Mike Dunleavy is planning to instigate legislation abrogating the state boards that control marijuana and alcohol businesses, Industry groups are forcing back as per the letter received from the commissioner to the employees of the state. This has alarmed the investors and officials of the cannabis industries that will limit their enforcement and licensing.
The letter received from the commissioner Julie Anderson revealed that the responsibilities and the authority of the marijuana control board and the alcoholic beverage control board should be transferred to the commissioner. Officers and investors dismay the move and limit the cannabis industries input to rulemaking.
A memo from the director Erika (Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office) and the letter from commissioner Julie Anderson had the Dunleavy’s plan. Here’s what the letter had all about:
● The control boards for marijuana and alcohol of Alaska are responsible for inspections, enforcement and licensing of marijuana and alcohol business. It provides an opportunity for the public who can comment on proposals in the board meetings. As per the current records, Alaska has a thousand nine hundred liquor licenses and two hundred and seventy-five full licensed marijuana businesses.
● In the fiscal year 2020 budget proposal reduces Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office budget by forty-eight thousand seven hundred dollars as per the meeting held by the Marijuana Control Board’s this week. Documents also mention the Dunleavy’s stipulation to disband the boards.
● The proposal indicates the plan on how the governor is trying to reduce the budget of the state to close a 1.6 billion dollars slippage
● Mark Springer (Chair of the Marijuana Control Board), said his concerns about how the public would feel and involve in the new regulations as the rules are manifested administratively instead by a board. Mark Springer also mentioned that 2014 voter-approved initiative legalizing adult-use of marijuana.
● CHARR president and CEO Sarah Oates said that they concerned about one person’s making the decision for highly regulated industries, this would endanger the business and public
● The executive director Cary Carrigan (Alaska Marijuana Industry Association), expressed “The new administration Dunleavy endangering the marijuana industry in Alaska,” and he is concerned about accumulating everything and people wouldn’t be focusing.
Appointment Vivian Stiver an anti-marijuana activist made the latest move of Dunleavy. Meanwhile, the state Department of Public Safety had terminated McConnell office’s access to the databases for crime reporting and information this has hindered investigators on the safety and enforcement duties were not able to identify individuals who were marked as a risk.
The department of safety confirmed that it will clear the state access to marijuana regulators and its database. And it has agreed to provide the required information to the investigators.
