Alaska’s politicos and allied morality police betray a prevailing public trust: they sabotage the voters’ intent to decriminalize production and use of marijuana. Their grandstanding about control and regulation increases corruption opportunities; likewise, massive regulation invites further criminalization.
Anyone alive more than a couple decades will recognize the contrived health scare. First, there is no established scientific research, primarily because the government refused to permit legitimate research. In fact, there is substantial anecdotal “research” generated by desperate medical needs that makes current health scares look silly.
Another phony proposition involves business licensing. All that is required by state and local authorities are requisite fees, sales tax revenue and identification of owner. Granted, there are a few other fundamentals, e.g. professional license or certification, depending on the business. Otherwise, authorities have no claim to dictating how, where, and when a business should be run. The market determines success or failure.
All the defining of grades/concentrations of THC that should be allowed could be easily solved by consumer education and established legal standards about fraud. Simply, any product must list ingredients and, where applicably important, concentrations. Labeling 1 percent, 2 percent, and 4 percent milk maximizes consumer choices; so, too, would THC labeling. No board need set these standards; vigilant consumers will shape choices, and tort law will scuttle fraudulent practices.
The only signs of addiction in this controversy are politicians’ attachments to myths and fabrications. They cannot give up their intoxication with power and control – in spite of the facts.