ALASKA’S FIRST EVER REC MJ SHOP OPENS TO LONG LINE WHILE ANOTHER BID GETS NIXED

by | Nov 4, 2016 | Industry News | 0 comments

ALASKA’S FIRST EVER REC MJ SHOP OPENS TO LONG LINE WHILE ANOTHER BID GETS NIXED

Alaska’s first recreational marijuana store opened Saturday with dozens waiting in line in the rain, one day after the state’s cannabis licensing board for the first time rejected a retail license application amid concerns over an out-of-state company’s stake in the business.

The first ever dispensary store opened at noon local time Saturday, almost two years after voters in the state gave their OK to legalize recreational marijuana.

The dispensary store owner, is a Valdez native who returned from Arizona for the opportunity to enter Alaska’s cannabis business. He said he felt “honored to be the first cannabis shop open in Alaska,” according to the Alaska Dispatch News.

Meanwhile, in what is being described as a first for Alaska’s cannabis industry, the state’s marijuana licensing board on Friday rejected a marijuana retail license application, the Alaska Dispatch News also reported.

The Marijuana Control Board, which approved 21 other marijuana retail business applications, voted unanimously against one company’s bid over concerns about the role of an out-of-state dispensary with the applicant, the newspaper reported.

Alaska’s cannabis regulations mandate that marijuana business licenses holders must be state residents, although businesses may rent from out-of-state landlords or use out-of-state consultants.

The Marijuana Control Board had received an anonymous tip that one applicant was a “front” for an Arizona dispensary, per the Alaska Dispatch News.

The company’s application listed the owner of another as the co-owner of the other in Arizona.

Alaska states “From our perspective, on the application it is not the person that’s actually applying here,” an executive director of the Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office, said before the Marijuana Control Board.

Hmm interesting many applications were recently up in Arizona last month as there was a lottery to fill 75 new dispensaries, and 80% of the applicants that won were fronts from existing businesses in Arizona, not in Alaska. There leveling the playing field right. Now they just need to get some bud trimmers up there to take care of business, for those bud trimming operators the tone is set for Alaska, get them wet or dry trimming machines spit shined and ready to go, Alaska is going green!

Michael Garay ~

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

GMP refers to the Good Manufacturing Practice Regulations promulgated by the US Food and Drug Administration under the authority of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (See Chapter IV for food, and Chapter V, Subchapters A, B, C, D, and E for drugs and devices.) These regulations, which have the force of law, require that manufacturers, processors, and packagers of drugs, medical devices, some food, and blood take proactive steps to ensure that their products are safe, pure, and effective. GMP regulations require a quality approach to manufacturing, enabling companies to minimize or eliminate instances of contamination, mixups, and errors. This in turn, protects the consumer from purchasing a product which is not effective or even dangerous. Failure of firms to comply with GMP regulations can result in very serious consequences including recall, seizure, fines, and jail time.

GMP regulations address issues including record keeping, personnel qualifications, sanitation, cleanliness, equipment verification, process validation, and complaint handling. Most GMP requirements are very general and open-ended, allowing each manufacturer to decide individually how to best implement the necessary controls. This provides much flexibility, but also requires that the manufacturer interpret the requirements in a manner which makes sense for each individual business.

GMP is also sometimes referred to as “cGMP”. The “c” stands for “current,” reminding manufacturers that they must employ technologies and systems which are up-to-date in order to comply with the regulation.