Anchorage kills measure to opt out of pot sales
Published 1:04 pm Wednesday, December 17, 2014
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Anchorage Assembly has rejected a proposed ordinance that would have banned legal marijuana sales within municipal boundaries.
The Alaska Dispatch News reports assembly members listened to four hours of testimony Tuesday and voted 9-2 to kill the measure proposed by Assemblywoman Amy Demboski.
Alaska voters approved legalization of recreational marijuana use last month. Demboski said she hoped the city would take a “wait and see approach” before the Alaska Legislature created marijuana regulations.
Most people testifying Tuesday opposed the ordinance.
Medical marijuana user June Pittman-Unsworth said she has no legal way to obtain marijuana. She called the ordinance premature and open-ended.
Assemblyman Bill Starr said he was fearful the “opt out” message would put key Anchorage lawmakers on the sidelines during discussions of state marijuana regulations.
