Anchorage on the Verge of Allowing Marijuana Smoking at Licensed Cafes
The Anchorage Assembly is set to vote on a new ordinance that would permit the purchase and smoking of marijuana at licensed cafes, joining a handful of other Alaskan communities that have already adopted similar laws. The proposal, introduced by East Anchorage Assembly member George Martinez, aims to bring the city in line with the original intentions of Alaskans when they voted to legalize recreational marijuana in 2014.
According to Martinez, the ordinance is designed to align the city’s code with the state’s recent changes, which now allow businesses that qualify for onsite consumption of marijuana products to permit smoking. To ensure public health and safety, the businesses would need to install proper ventilation systems to remove smoke and toxins from the air, in compliance with Anchorage’s local smoke-free regulations.
This is not the first time the issue has been considered in Anchorage. In 2020, a ballot measure that would have allowed onsite consumption was rejected by voters. However, the state’s Marijuana Control Board has since changed its regulations to permit smoking, and the proposed ordinance would bring the city’s code up to date.
Other Alaskan communities, including Fairbanks, Juneau, and Ketchikan, have already legalized onsite consumption. There are currently five licensed facilities in Alaska that offer onsite consumption, with two located in Fairbanks, and one each in Seward, Soldotna, and Ketchikan.
