It appears that Alaska is likely to be the next state to have the opportunity to vote on marijuana legalization. This week, the Lt. Governor’s office approved a ballot initiative that aims to tax and regulate marijuana in a manner similar to the laws recently approved in Colorado and Washington. If approved, the initiative would allow adults over the age of 21 to possess up to one ounce of marijuana and provide for the establishment of legal, regulated retail outlets and grow operations.
Supporters must now collect 30,169 signatures to place the initiative on the ballot, which they aim to complete by January.
NORML will keep you updated as this effort moves forward.
Do they have have an online signature form yet??
Lol, the easier the better! You know how lazy Pot heads can get.
Every time another state does something like this I hate the state I currently live in all the more. Here in VA the law does not allow for this kind of initiative. We are at the mercy of our politicians who refuse to even discuss it. They do allow you to drink yourself into a stupor or smoke yourself to death with cigarettes…
Seriously, I don’t like cold weather but I’d consider moving to Alaska to get the freedom to enjoy cannabis without fear of the law coming for me.
NORML, don’t forget that Arizona, New York, and Oregon have been working hard to do the SAME thing this last week!
This is great news! With Washington and Colorado already successful in their legalization campaigns there are at least 2 other states including Alaska now looking at voter referendums in 2014 to legalize and regulate. Power to the people, we Americans can and will accomplish anything we set our minds to! This is all of course without any help from so called legislators and politicians. Get ready America, a new era of improved drug policy based on facts and science is upon us. The future is now!!!!! Thanks for all that you do Norml!!!
Also, I remember reading that many legalization proponents with big pockets said that they would note support any initiatives that were happening in 2014 due to that year not being a Presidential election year and therefore legalization campaigns would have less of a chance at being successful. Is there any truth to this?
[Paul Armentano responds: Alaska only allows statewide initiatives to be run in off-year election years.]
The dominoes continue to fall!
I heard Alaska already has a limited form of legalization, doesn’t it? I believe it’s legal to posess up to a certain amount but not to grow or sell it. It’s been that way for several years, long before Washington and Colorado legalized.
[Paul Armentano responds: A state Supreme court decision in Alaska, Ravin v State, notes that the right to privacy, guaranteed in the state’s constitution, includes protection against criminal prosecution for the possession of personal use amounts of cannabis in one’s home: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravin_v._State%5D
LEGALIZE WITHIN 10 YEARS!!!! If your on the side of ignorance prepare to be smoked out!
I moved with my family to Alaska in 1972. Happened to be the year I entered ” High School ” . It wasn’t long before it was decriminalized and it was not uncommon to be laying in the grass at the 4th of july fireworks show and have a big fat doobie pass through the crowd. I ran with the crowd the grew Matanuska Thuderfuuu so phenominal pot was normal. Unbeleivable country and people. I moved away in 1989 and really miss it. BUT…. the winters get long and dark, so Washington state is just right as Goldilocks said.
if women have a right to free choice under roe-v-wade means we all have a free choice to use cannabis, am i correct in thinking this
James, no connection.
You have the right to use marijuana and cannabis as you see fit. We certianly have more inherent rights to own and possess marijuana then we do firearms. Somehow, our government came to believe that if they lie enough, stealing our money and marijuana is in some way justified. Like how some evil people try to justify slavery even after it almost killed the country–keep trying assholes, your arguments are still worthless.
Like they still don’t care if crazy are able to get guns. But everything is okay as long as those crazies don’t get their hands on weed, or then they’ll go out and shoot someone. There is a very large logic deficit. Why are they fighting for “rights we don’t have and don’t need” (as in rabidily protecting gun ownship for crazies), but don’t appear to even care about our real rights to simply possess healing herbs. Abortion rights? Huh? You can kill your baby, but don’t smoke bud (it might send the wrong message to a child)? This just demonstrates what complete assholes our government is made of and how they don’t even understand what “freedom” means. “Freedom” isn’t a contest to see who can be the bigger lying asshole and steal the most money!
I don’t understand the big deal about not legalizing marijuana. It does more good than bad. People can use it for medicine and it certainly does not cause people to drive crazy like alcohol does.
Where and When do you sign the petition to legalize? It it available right now. Please respond!!!
https://www.facebook.com/AlaskaWeedCommunity
Like Us
If you agree with the right of the people to vote on the matter since politicians are incapable of doing so, then pleas sign my petition to have the federal government to allow us the right to vote on the matter federally. This is our country, for the people by the people. We need to stand up today and take action!!!
https://www.change.org/petitions/put-marijuana-on-the-presidential-ballot-for-legalization-by-the-people-allow-the-people-to-have-a-vote-on-the-legalization-of-marijuana
Who drafted the initiative, and who is funding the petition gathering effort? I know the ACLU led the I-502 campaign in Washington and the Marijuana Policy Project led the campaign in Colorado. I’d like to donate to whichever organization is behind the Alaska effort.
[Editor’s note: Alaska info about the legalization initiative is found here.]
YAY! I am from Alaska and they have my signature for it! This is so AWESOME! 🙂
Im for it