Anchorage voters to decide next year on retail marijuana on-site consumption

The Anchorage Assembly is giving voters the choice to determine whether the city should allow on-site smoking in retail marijuana shops.

The assembly voted 7-4 to put the question on the April 7 city election ballot.

In a Sept. 2019 meeting,

Many said they are not thrilled about the idea. They’re concerned that potential secondhand smoke would violate the city's smoking ban.

Assembly member Forrest Dunbar, who co-authored the ordinance, has said it would not overturn the existing smoking ban.

This past summer,

If approved next year, the ordinance would still prohibit smoking, but carves out an allowance for "approved on-site consumption areas operated by licensed retail marijuana stores." When it comes to banning smoking in workplaces, the ordinance also specifically carves out an exception for marijuana consumption areas in licensed retail stores.

You can read the full ordinance below.