The Alaska Medical Marijuana Program

The AK Department of Health and Social Services Division of Public Health administers the AK Medical Marijuana Program. A patient applying for a medical marijuana card must provide the department the original completed copy of the application form, driver’s license or Alaska identification card, the originally signed recommendation from the physician, and pay an application fee of $25. All patients must enroll in the state patient registry and possess a valid identification card to be legally protected.

Qualifying conditions for the AK Medical Marijuana Program:

Patients in AK wishing to obtain medical marijuana must be diagnosed with one or more of the following medical conditions:

• Cachexia
• Cancer
• Chronic Pain
• HIV/AIDS
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Nausea
• Seizures

Will additional conditions be added to the list of qualifying conditions?

Yes, the Marijuana Control Board has a process in place that allow for the petition for new conditions to be added to the list.

Where to find a Medical Marijuana Doctor in Alaska?

The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services does not refer to patients to physicians. However, any licensed physician can recommend marijuana to their patient if they are diagnosed with any of the qualifying conditions.

In AK, the patients must have an established relationship with their physician before applying for a medical marijuana card.

Where are the legal cannabis dispensaries in Alaska?

Most marijuana products are available to patients at AK dispensaries. There are dispensaries located across the state. The majority are located in Fairbanks,which is the second most populous city in Alaska. With about ten dispensaries in Fairbanks, it has become Alaska’s medical marijuana hub.

What does my medical card get me at an Alaskan dispensary?

Between the patient and their caregiver, they may possess six marijuana plants, three of which may be mature and one ounce of usable marijuana.

Where are you allowed to smoke?

Registered patients cannot smoke in the following places:

• While operating a motorized vehicle
• In a public place
• Within 500 feet of school grounds
• Within 500 feet of a recreation or youth center
• On a school bus

Are patients and caregivers shielded from discrimination?

Yes, as long as the patient and the designated caregiver are registered, they are both shielded from discrimination. The caregiver must be 21 years of age, and can never have been convicted of a controlled substances felony. The patient must list the caregiver as either the primary caregiver or the alternate caregiver. Only one primary caregiver and one alternate caregiver is allowed per patient.

What is the future of the Medical Marijuana Program in Alaska?

The medical marijuana laws have already changed since medical marijuana became legal in 2014, and they will likely change in the future. To stay up-to-date with proposed regulation changes you can register with the Alaska Marijuana Control Board.

The post How to Qualify for Medical Marijuana in Alaska appeared first on Pot My.

The legal opinion does not apply to licensed retail marijuana shops, for which state regulators are considering rules allowing cannabis consumption. The first retail shop licenses have yet to be approved.

The issues are clubs that charge patrons fees to use marijuana onsite or that otherwise provide access to a significant number of people to consume marijuana there. According to the opinion by Attorney General Jahna Lindemuth, those are illegal. “Under Alaska law, a business cannot sell or provide marijuana or allow marijuana to be consumed on the premises unless it is licensed as a retail marijuana store by the Marijuana Control Board,” Lindemuth wrote.

In 2014, voters approved legalizing recreational marijuana for those 21 and older in Alaska. The initiative banned the consumption of cannabis in public. The board, which regulates the industry, last year, approved a carve-out to allow for onsite use at authorized retail shops.

Lindemuth said that unlicensed social clubs are public places which fall under the prohibition of public consumption, like other businesses.

The opinion was requested by the state commerce commissioner. Alaska’s Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office falls under the commerce department.

Cynthia Franklin, the offices director, said by email that the office was aware of five or six clubs in Alaska.

The commerce department stated that marijuana regulators do not have the authority to license cannabis social clubs and would work with local law enforcement to address illegal marijuana use. The department said local governments could use their powers to crack down on illegal clubs.

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