The Business of Marijuana in Valdez

All over the state of Alaska, people have applied for licenses to run marijuana-related businesses.  It isn’t an inexpensive undertaking and, like alcohol-related business, there are a lot of rules to follow.  Still, the newspapers are full of legal notices indicating that people

have applied for licenses to grow, manufacture, test and sell marijuana products and participate in this new economic venture.

Two entities have applied for licenses in Valdez. Herbal Outfitters, LLC is applying for a new Retail Marijuana Store License and Alaskan Greenery for a Standard Marijuana Cultivation Facility.  The City of Valdez, after much research, planning and public input, has decided where these businesses can be located and how they will be regulated.  The legal sale and production of marijuana is on the horizon, as mandated by a majority of state residents, including those of Valdez.

Still there are those who are vehemently opposed to the implementation of our new state regulations in Valdez.  Concerned citizens have spoken out at zoning-related meetings, urging the city to opt out of marijuana businesses completely or at least to reassess zoning decisions.  Although state regulations prohibit marijuana-related businesses in close proximity to schools and other public places that are designated for the use of minors and prohibit anyone under 21 to enter or loiter outside of a marijuana business, people are still concerned.  Because of the size of the community, many people already knew the proposed location of the retail establishment before the legal ad announcing the license application was published.  Some are concerned about it’s proximity to retail establishments that serve families with children. Many simply feel that they don’t want these businesses in their town.

A group of concerned citizens, lead by local minister Carl Hedman and a business owner, Christy Franklin, have gone through the application process to receive permission from City of Valdez to circulate a petition.  The purpose is to create a ballot initiative to ban all retail sales, testing, manufacturing and cultivation of marijuana in Valdez and it’s surrounding area.  State law provides for such prohibitions to be enforced within ten miles outside of a town.

The local option; the opportunity for communities to opt out of allowing such businesses, is not the same as making a community ‘dry’ as is sometimes done with alcohol.  Marijuana use and possession would still be legal in the city limits.  The difference is that people would need to either grow their own, purchase it out of town, or do what everyone was doing up until now, buy it illegally.  The other difference is that at least two new businesses planned for Valdez would not be able to operate.

If successful, the question would probably be on the ballot for the next municipal election in May, 2017.  By that time it is highly likely that the two new businesses already in the works will have been open for business for some time.  Should the initiative pass they would then have ninety days to close up shop according to state law.