In what may be the most difficult ballot initiative to evaluate in advance of the upcoming mid-term elections, the voters in Alaska will decide on November 4 whether to approve full marijuana legalization for all adults, including retail sales.
For most of us, Alaska, the largest state in the Union by area, and the least densely populated, is an exotic location, far removed from the Lower 48 both geographically and culturally. The largest city, Anchorage, has a population of only 292,000, and the second largest, Fairbanks, has only 32,000 residents. The Alaska territory was purchased from Russia in 1867 and only became a state in 1959. The state has always leaned heavily Republican, which might suggest it would be an unlikely state for marijuana legalization to appear on the ballot; but the state is also known as the home of a lot of people who want to minimize the role of government in their lives, which would appear to bode well for legalizers.
History of Marijuana Legalization in Alaska
To read the balance of this article, go to
http://marijuana.com/news/2014/10/great-uncertainty-ahead-of-alaska-measure-2-vote/
The only poll that counts is the one on election day, plain and simple.
“…voters then rejected a full legalization proposal (Measure 5) in 2000, with only 40.9 percent support; and again in 2004 (Measure 2) with a slight increase to 44.3 percent support.”
Odds are looking good for 2014. Any way you look at it, eliminating paraphanalia laws in a state that’s been virtually legal at home since the 70’s seems long overdue.
I find it interesting to point out that more Alaskans live off the land, self-sustainably by percentage of their state population than any other state that I am aware of. If there were ever an example of a self-sustaining spirit with right-to-privacy better to vote on cannabis legalization this November (With all due respect for all you folks in Oregon living without electricity) I find it hard to verify.
Whether we are Republicans or Democrats, Liberals or Libertarians, let’s come together to do what is right this election season and vote to legally regulate hemp and marijuana and put an end to the cartel violence that prohibition creates.
I that think if Alaska legalized it would be big news.
Just want to point out that you’re allowed to be evil in this country, in KKK legally, but you’re not allowed to legally feel good like on marijuana!! Hmm…
Come on Alaska ppl like u r not known 2 b pushed around by the government…republican or not u r the most self sufficient, live off the land ppl n AMERICA trust me if u vote YES to legalize & regulate cannibas alot of AMERICA will agree!! I respect Alaska already 4 even having it on u ballot! Don’t b pushed around by big wigs with big $$$ like we r crushed around here in Texas!! Please don’t be like TEXAS!! Good luck & God bless!!
Come on Alaska don’t be like Texas it’s a lot of big wigs with alot of $$$ pushing us around out here!! They r old & from the war on everything era!! Alaska is rug age & yall live off the land & I respect yall 4 that!! The fact that it’s on the ballot is a miracle & I kno yall dont get pushed around like we do here in Texas so I hope yall r NOT like Texas! Do ur own research have ur own brain & use it!! Vote yes Cus we all kno the war on cannibas is ridiculous including the GOV.
St. Nick,
That is what is refered to as, “No good deed goes unpunished.”
KKK is American Niggers. Don’t worry, you’ll get punished for using the word correctly 🙂 Most n-words in the country are white, but everyone in the media seems to want to keep it about black vs. white for some stupid unfathomable reason… (oh yeah, to help US stay stupid and racist by example)
As I understand from people living there, the loss in the support is not towards the movement, but towards the bill. Currently, Alaskans can have up to 4 oz, and I assume, they can have the equivalent amount of plants. This legislation only allows for 1 oz and the equivalent amount of plants. Many would rather grow their own or buy from dealers, than sacrifice the size of the stash they can have at a time and pay taxes. Elimination of the paraphernalia laws, is also just not worth it for them. You have correctly mentioned that the people there don’t like the government’s involvment, and that’s why they support the legalization movement; however, this bill appears to them as another form of tightening regulation.
Maybe the legislators know that the electorate feel that way and have designed this piece of legislation to do exactly that, to queer the deal so to speak. Knowing they won’t legalize it because it will decrease the amount of material allowed.
Maybe it would still be better to fully legalize it, then go back in the next legislative cycle and readjust the amount preference.
The problem is we have a dictatorial government that wants to paint the illusion that we are free. If we vote for a particular law and it wins our democratic dictators will do every thing in their power to over regulate it so the people’s will will be circumvented just like the abortion clinics in TEXAS. In PALM BEACH county in FL we have a creepy “accidental printing mistake on the sample ballot that has big fat letters that say” SAMPLE BALOT ” covering the details of PROP 2 (the medical marijuana law)in a way that you can not read the details. Then we have opposing political adds that say that marijuana will be sold in “UNREGULATED PILL MILL STYLE POT SHOPS” and that no prescription will be necessary to buy. The adds say PROP 2 “IS A TRICK! All of this lies and propaganda paid for by who? Be careful that the opposition will realize they are loosing the battle against the plant so attack the law itself. In my area these adds have run uncontested. I wonder why people who stand to gain from these new businesses have waited so long to respond. We have a tour bus visiting the colleges to get out the vote. The problem is voter registration period is over for the midterm elections thus killing the chance of getting new voters.
With your leave, I have entered following comment on marijuana.com:
Important that this measure ELIMINATES “PARAPHERNALIA LAWS”. (Did you ever notice that the scare word “paraphernalia” contains echoes of hidden smaller scare words “paranoia” “infernal” and “alien”? Don’t get me started on that other scare word, used on children, “mad” “mess” “nasty” “disturb” “stupid” “beat” “hate”.)
The Paraphernalia Laws are a gift to the Nicotine $igarette companies, because (a) they give children the idea that a vaporizer or a flexible drawtube one-hitter is somehow more evil than “legal” $igarettes or $igarette papers marketed to cannabis users by $ubsidiaries of $igarette companies, (b) even if rolling papers are also generally considered illegal, the law discriminates in their favor because it scares children against using safer equipment which is unfortunately LESS EASY TO HIDE from your Mom or the cop.
Vote or if you can’t vote, agitate and propagandize to use cannabis legalization as a lever to “degrade and destroy” the $igarette industry oligopoly which has killed 200,000,000 human beings since 1853. Win a $1,500,000 No Evil Prize for our dear friend Keith (and maybe send him a vaporizer if you have the bucks).
I invite everybody to talk about prop 2, we all need to pass along our viewpoints, and educate each other on how pointless MJ prohibition is. Discuss, debate, and most importantly VOTE!.
Thank you.
People in Alaska drive drunk all the time. You should be great full if they get stoned instead. (It’s safer)
I live in Alaska. Quite a bit of the Pacific Coast is pro-pot, but the State as a whole has been polled 2 or 3 times as divided approximately 50-50 on the measure. For some, it is Partisan and many Alaskan Republicans are boozers, and ironically starchly against pot. There are many Libertarian Republicans in Alaska, and strangely I’ve talked to one Libertarian who would vote against it because the initiative will lure outside (like Lower 48) corporations. You see, marijuana is already legal inside your house in Alaska; it is a misdemeanor in public. Many people are content with this. If the initiative passes, or even fails, it will be by a margin of single digits %.
-C in Kenai Peninsula, AK
you can also get high on the moon without worrying about arrest.
This issue crosses party lines. I know as many Republicans as I meet Democrats who smoke. It is a conservative issue, states rights, as well as a civil liberty issue. An electable Republican candidate who shares our views is essential so the Democratic party does not take our vote for granted. Rand Paul may share our views but we also need to reach out to Paul Ryan, who stated in Denver last election that marijuana legalization was a states rights issue,