Alaska has made a significant move, allowing for consumers in the state to be able to buy marijuana and also smoke it under the same roof of a cannabis store.
It’s not happening yet but Alaska Lt. Gov. Kevin Meyer (R) signing the new regulations into law on Tuesday was a huge milestone in the marijuana arena as no states have been issuing permits authorizing on-site consumption.
Licensed retail businesses in Alaska will be able to begin applying for a “special onsite use endorsement” from the state starting on April 11.
The consumption area would have to be physically separated from retail spaces, either by a wall and a “secure door” or an outdoor patio according to the new rules. Businesses would have to provide security plans and adequate ventilation.
“This is something that’s not happening anywhere else in the U.S. yet,” Cary Carrigan, an executive director of the Alaska Marijuana Industry Association, said to the Associated Press. “As we start to develop this, people are really looking at us, so I know that everybody wants to get it right.”
