Opinion: Amend CER's Title 21 to mirror Anchorage’s regulations for cannabis shops in Anchorage
Written by Donna Schopp
If you were unable to attend the meeting held Wednesday, March 30th at the Eagle River Lion’s Club with the owners of the cannabis shop Alice’s, I’d like to acknowledge that it went very well. There were approximately 20+ community members present who seemed to be in support of allowing Alice’s to open in Chugiak/Eagle River.
Alice’s now has a website for the community to use to ask them questions. I have also started a Facebook group called CER Citizens for a Responsible Cannabis Industry for the community to exchange information about the cannabis industry. Both will continue to add information to the site, but for now both platforms are a great place for community members to ask them questions about their business.
David Miltersen and the other owners of Alice’s did an excellent job providing information about the security and safety measures they have included in their business plan. I was surprised to hear that although there is limited data for Alaska at this time, an article dated July 12, 2021 - estimates that on average, between April 2017 and April 2021, property values in states where recreational marijuana is legal rose an average of $17,113 when compared to states where marijuana remains illegal or is limited to medical use.
Most cannabis shops have extensive security systems in place to include well lit property and surveillance cameras. They also mentioned that the Anchorage Police Department has been able to use video surveillance footage from many cannabis shops to help them solve cases.
I have heard many community members concerned about the smell of cannabis around the proposed shop. The owners of Alice’s explained that all products sold in their shop will be prepackaged before coming to the shop and all items will be placed in an opaque, childproof bag upon purchase. They are listening to the concerns of all citizens and making compromises to gain support in the community. I think that is very admirable.
I appreciate Anchorage Assembly candidate Gretchen Wehmhoff for attending the meeting to assist with the Q&A about the MOA’s role in this process. It is unfortunate that our elected Eagle River State and Local Representatives were not present to hear from Alice’s and the community members themselves. The next step in this process is for Chugiak-Eagle River residents to let the Anchorage Assembly know they are in support of making adjustments to Title 21 so it mirrors the regulations in place for cannabis shops in Anchorage.
You can email the entire Anchorage Assembly with your thoughts at: wwmas@anchorageak.gov
Donna Schopp is a former Save Anchorage moderator and Cannabis advocate/activist. Her opinions and statements are her own.
