Photo Credit: Andrew Harvey
In November 2014, Alaska voters passed the Alaska Marijuana Legalization, Ballot Measure 2, effectively legalizing the production, sale and use of marijuana by adults 21 years of age or older. Alaska was the third state, behind Washington and Colorado, to legalize recreational marijuana.
Ballot Measure 2 went into effect on February 24, 2015, however, the first dispensary did not open until October 29, 2016. Currently, there are several recreational dispensaries across the state that are open to the public.
So far, Alaska has been capitalizing on taxes collected from marijuana sales and estimates to reach $12 million in marijuana tax revenue by 2018. Such an uptick in tax revenue would help local communities, economies and underprivileged areas receive much needed funding for improvements and relief – which has proven to work tremendously well in states like Colorado.
