We want you guys consuming PRIMO cannabis with peace of mind and confidence that you’re not breaking any weed laws. It’s incredibly confusing with everything that’s going on in the states, and there seems to be little agreeance between them all. Then up north across the border, you’ve got Canada where it’s federally legal. But what does it really mean to be legal? We’ll make it real simple for you in this series, so you can pass it on to the homies without having to sift through all the legislative bullshit. It’s easy, we’re calling it Weed Law For Dummies to inform you about the necessities at home and abroad. This is episode 5: Alaska Weed Laws.
ALASKA WEED LAWS DOS & DONT’S
After winning the ballot measure in 2014, Alaska became the third state to legalize marijuana. Though it was voted on the same day as Oregon, the state known as The Last Frontier beat Oregonians to the punch by letting their laws go into effect on an earlier date. As the law currently stands, you’re allowed to possess 4 ounces in your home and carry a single ounce on your person. There’s also the option to grow up to 6 plants if you want to test your green thumb on the tundra. While it took place in the Klondike region of Canada, Jack London was inspired to write Call of the Wild by the Alaskan way of life and spirit of perseverance. It’s this same determination and stubbornness that kept activists fighting for the last 50 years of cannabis history and, ultimately, what allowed pot to win.
Historical Points
Alaska is often forgotten as part of the United States. Sitting about 500 miles from the closest state, its climate and location are practically Canadian. It has a frontier spirit though that’s in line with American folklore and this bled into its attitude toward marijuana throughout the state’s history. In 1975, it became just the second state to decriminalize weed, legislation that was bolstered by an Alaskan Supreme Court ruling a week later. The court’s decision claimed that Alaska’s right to privacy ensured adults have the right to possess and use small amounts of marijuana in the home. From then until 2014, Alaska went back-and-forth on decriminalization, making conservative changes in 1990 and 2006 before fully correcting the law in 2014.
