Path for onsite cannabis consumption in Anchorage may be slow and sticky

Since retail marijuana sales began in Anchorage in 2016, onsite consumption was considered a distant possibility until the Alaska Marijuana Control Board

in December. Despite the board's approval —

in March, skepticism remains over whether there's a place for onsite consumption in Anchorage or not.

On Monday, the City of Fairbanks voted to approve the operation of 'cannabis cafes' which could eventually be in the cards for Anchorage as well, but Anchorage Assembly members say it will take much longer to bring those changes to Alaska's largest city.

"We're taking our time. We'll be sending some of it to the Planning and Zoning Commission to review things like signage and how certain systems will have to work," said Assemblyman Christopher Constant, who serves on the city's Community Economic Development Committee.

Constant tells KTUU that he supports the cannabis industry's presence in Alaska, but he refuses to give anyone a "free pass."

"It has to make sense," he said. "I don't want it to be rushed through. I want it to be unassailable if or when this passes."

The Community Economic Development Committee has already held three meetings to discuss possible regulations for onsite consumption in Anchorage. A fourth meeting is scheduled for April 25.

Marijuana retailers have been able to apply for onsite consumption permits through the state since April 11, but many have been planning for this eventual change since they opened up shop.

"When the retail sale on marijuana first became legal in Alaska, on-site consumption was included," said Cary Carrigan of the Alaska Marijuana Industry Association. "When they first pulled the pin on onsite and they put that on hold, it took two years to get to the point where the board would agree to go forward."

Because the voter-backed initiative included onsite consumption under its umbrella, many of the shops in Anchorage contain open spaces and sections intended to serve as cafe-style areas, but since then, several different ideas have emerged about how to do onsite consumption in Anchorage.

The team at Dankorage in Spenard is considering a rooftop consumption area. Cannabaska on Tudor Road hopes to set up an educational consumption program, where customers consume cannabis while learning more about the product from industry experts.

While there are different ideas about how onsite consumption might work, there are a few rules and restrictions that are set in stone:

Onsite consumption can only take place in a designated outdoor space or inside of a standalone structure, separated from retail spaces by a wall

There must be a working ventilation system in place

Marijuana consumed on site must be purchased from the retailer

There would have to be a separate, smoke-free area for employees to monitor consumption

Another major hurdle is the state's indoor smoking ban,

by then-Gov. Bill Walker in 2018. Major opponents of onsite consumption include the American Lung Association of Alaska.

Assemblyman Constant says that while there's no clear way around the smoking ban, the conversations about onsite are leaning toward edibles and vaping, which eliminates the presence of any combustion or smoke.

While the nature of onsite consumption that would be allowed is still foggy, retailers are trying to determine how to make possible changes the most cost-effective. Cannabaska General Manager Jake Warden tells KTUU that it's a balancing act for stores to provide a safe, welcoming environment without trying to profit from a high customer turnover.

"The challenge with onsite consumption now is, in order for it to make sense, we have to have a high turnover," Warden said. "Imagine if you had a bar where someone could come in but only buy one beer."

Carrigan hopes on-site consumption does eventually get approved in reality, but he says that he hopes it would give more tourists a chance to experience the products than locals.

"I think that we could use this as a vehicle for tourists to use," Warden said. "Let's say you get of a ship in Sitka, 4,000 people get off and a certain percentage of those people will say 'This is a legal state, let's go find a shop and try it.' Right now there's no place for them to use."

According to Constant, votes regarding onsite edible consumption could take place as early as July, but there's no timeline on a vote for the much more complicated issue of onsite inhalation.