Recreational Marijuana Becomes Legal in Alaska on Tuesday

Recreational marijuana becomes legal in Alaska on Tuesday. The state is the third to legalize recreational marijuana, following the lead of Washington and Colorado.

Voters in Alaska and Oregon passed measures to legalize marijuana in November. The Alaska measure left many details to legislators and officials to work out, the Associated Press reports.

The new measure allows adult Alaskans to possess and use marijuana. They can also transport, grow it and give it away. A regulated and taxed marijuana market will not start until next year at the earliest, according to the AP.

Alaska Native leaders are concerned marijuana legalization will cause problems in their community, which already has high rates of drug and alcohol abuse. The state allows communities to regulate alcohol locally. The new marijuana measure does not provide clear language about opting out of marijuana legalization for tribal councils and other small communities, the article notes.

The measure bans smoking in public, but does not define what that means. Anchorage Police Chief Mark Mew said his officers will not allow people to smoke on their porches if they live next to a park. Smoking marijuana in public can bring a $100 fine throughout the state.