Alaskans vote to legalize marijuana • Hacker News Board

Re: Alaskans vote to legalize marijuana

#11

Post by kyleblarson » Wed, Nov 05, 2014, 4:02 PM UTC

japhyr wrote: post #7

Here's an interesting piece of the Alaska marijuana legal status. We just voted to legalize recreational marijuana use, which includes growing and selling marijuana. I'm happy to see it pass because possession has been legal here for a long time, but sales and distribution has not. That's a murky legal situation, which I'm happy to see cleared up. But last night an article ran in our local paper stating that the Coas…

As a Seattleite I was optimistic things might change at the federal level when Obama appointed Kerlikowski as drug czar, given his experience as police chief in what even in 2009 was a very cannabis friendly city. I guess I was just another sucker for hope and change that never materialized.

Re: Alaskans vote to legalize marijuana

#12

Post by jonnathanson » Wed, Nov 05, 2014, 4:03 PM UTC

[deleted] wrote: post #10

japhyr wrote: post #7

Here's an interesting piece of the Alaska marijuana legal status. We just voted to legalize recreational marijuana use, which includes growing and selling marijuana. I'm happy to see it pass because possession has been legal here for a long time, but sales and distribution has not. That's a murky legal situation, which I'm happy to see cleared up. But last night an article ran in our local paper stating that the Coas…

[deleted]

IANAL, but as far as I am aware, international borders fall under federal jurisdiction, not state. U.S. Border Patrol is a federal organization, for instance. Since marijuana is still illegal under federal law, I'd imagine that Alaska state law couldn't protect you in the event of a seizure. I don't have any personal experience attempting to bring weed across a federal border point, but my gut tells me it's not a great idea. Feds are still gung-ho about enforcement. In a federal trial, penalty for possession (any amount) is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and 1 year in jail.

(Open to correction, enhancement, or clarification from anyone who is a lawyer, and/or who has experience in these matters).

Re: Alaskans vote to legalize marijuana

#13

Post by kissickas » Wed, Nov 05, 2014, 4:07 PM UTC

jonnathanson wrote: post #12

[deleted] wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[deleted]

IANAL, but as far as I am aware, international borders fall under federal jurisdiction, not state. U.S. Border Patrol is a federal organization, for instance. Since marijuana is still illegal under federal law, I'd imagine that Alaska state law couldn't protect you in the event of a seizure. I don't have any personal experience attempting to bring weed across a federal border point, but my gut tells me it's not a gre…

Sorry, I deleted my comment. It was originally asking about commerce across the border to Canada.

I deleted it because I just discovered that it's technically illegal in Canada; thought it was less murky than it is.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_history_of_cannabis_in_C...

Re: Alaskans vote to legalize marijuana

#14

Post by arca_vorago » Wed, Nov 05, 2014, 4:13 PM UTC

I'm ready for Texas to follow suite. You think corn, wheat, cotton, cows, and oil are profitable? Wait till the congressmen and farmers understand how valuable MJ is as a cash crop, I predict legalization even in our red state within a decade.

Re: Alaskans vote to legalize marijuana

#15

Post by mikestew » Wed, Nov 05, 2014, 4:18 PM UTC

jonnathanson wrote: post #12

[deleted] wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[deleted]

IANAL, but as far as I am aware, international borders fall under federal jurisdiction, not state. U.S. Border Patrol is a federal organization, for instance. Since marijuana is still illegal under federal law, I'd imagine that Alaska state law couldn't protect you in the event of a seizure. I don't have any personal experience attempting to bring weed across a federal border point, but my gut tells me it's not a gre…

No need to be a lawyer, Washington residents have already been told not to try and bring back any BC bud across the border. EDIT: because one is entering the U.S. where it is illegal, not WA where it is legal. Once past the US border, one is then in the weed-friendly state of WA. /EDIT Conversely, our neighbors to the north have made it a point to remind WA residents that weed is still illegal in Canada. Source: stuff I tripped across while looking up border crossing procedure for a recent trip, which I could probably find again if I had to.

Re: Alaskans vote to legalize marijuana

#16

Post by japhyr » Wed, Nov 05, 2014, 4:22 PM UTC

arca_vorago wrote: post #14

I'm ready for Texas to follow suite. You think corn, wheat, cotton, cows, and oil are profitable? Wait till the congressmen and farmers understand how valuable MJ is as a cash crop, I predict legalization even in our red state within a decade.

That would certainly push the conversation on a national/ federal level. It seems most of the legalization efforts have focused on in-state use. If one of a state's primary goals was to become a producer serving other states, there would be pretty strong motivation to bring federal policy in line with what's happening at the state level.

Re: Alaskans vote to legalize marijuana

#17

Post by wavefunction » Wed, Nov 05, 2014, 4:24 PM UTC

arca_vorago wrote: post #14

I'm ready for Texas to follow suite. You think corn, wheat, cotton, cows, and oil are profitable? Wait till the congressmen and farmers understand how valuable MJ is as a cash crop, I predict legalization even in our red state within a decade.

I think industrial hemp holds even more promise commercially, but I suppose the marginal profit by weight on cannabis vs. hemp is greater since it's either slated for recreational or medicinal uses rather than the generally less-sexy uses for hemp fibers and oils.

Re: Alaskans vote to legalize marijuana

#18

Post by toyg » Wed, Nov 05, 2014, 4:27 PM UTC

arca_vorago wrote: post #14

I'm ready for Texas to follow suite. You think corn, wheat, cotton, cows, and oil are profitable? Wait till the congressmen and farmers understand how valuable MJ is as a cash crop, I predict legalization even in our red state within a decade.

Won't prices eventually start to fall, though, the more legal it becomes? One much-repeated theory explaining support for the initial wave of prohibition was that weed (eh) was too easy to grow, and as such it was depressing prices for a number of other crops. If that's true, I would expect states where the agriculture sector still holds significant power, to be the staunchest bastions of prohibition.

Re: Alaskans vote to legalize marijuana

#19

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Nov 05, 2014, 4:28 PM UTC

japhyr wrote: post #7

Here's an interesting piece of the Alaska marijuana legal status. We just voted to legalize recreational marijuana use, which includes growing and selling marijuana. I'm happy to see it pass because possession has been legal here for a long time, but sales and distribution has not. That's a murky legal situation, which I'm happy to see cleared up. But last night an article ran in our local paper stating that the Coas…

[deleted]

Re: Alaskans vote to legalize marijuana

#20

Post by jdmichal » Wed, Nov 05, 2014, 4:32 PM UTC

japhyr wrote: post #7

Here's an interesting piece of the Alaska marijuana legal status. We just voted to legalize recreational marijuana use, which includes growing and selling marijuana. I'm happy to see it pass because possession has been legal here for a long time, but sales and distribution has not. That's a murky legal situation, which I'm happy to see cleared up. But last night an article ran in our local paper stating that the Coas…

I didn't think drug enforcement was a duty of the Coast Guard. Usually anything related to cargo and crew is the CBP's responsibility, while the Coast Guard is about safety (life-jackets and -boats, certifications, search and rescue, etc.).