A marijuana trade show slated for mid-April in downtown Anchorage announced its cancellation on Wednesday, citing a letter sent out last week from Mayor Dan Sullivan's office prohibiting the possession, use or display of marijuana for any marijuana-related event in municipal facilities.
Municipal attorney Dennis Wheeler crafted the letter. Wheeler said that "the municipality at this time is not inclined to allow the use of marijuana in its facilities."
The letter, dated March 20, was sent to municipal facility property managers to provide guidance when approached with inquiries regarding marijuana-related events, Wheeler said.
"Current state law and municipal code bans public consumption," the letter says. "This includes consumption in the Municipality's public facilities, even if the facility is rented for an event."
"Any organization that wishes to rent or use municipal public facilities for a purpose related to marijuana may do so under the condition that no marijuana or product containing marijuana is allowed in the facility … No one may use, possess, or display marijuana in municipal facilities," the letter continues.
The municipality said it would allow marijuana-related products such as "bongs, pipes, packaging, cultivation equipment and supplies, art work, clothing, etc." at events.
In response to the letter, the AK 420 Fest & Marijuana Industry Summit announced the cancellation of its event, writing on its Facebook page:
"It is with sincere regret, and complete frustration, that Adventure Expos must cancel its planned Marijuana Industry Summit and AK 420 Fest, slated for April 19-20 in the Egan Center.
"Due to what we feel are shortsighted and over-reaching policies governing the convention centers, established only five days ago, there is simply no cost-effective means to host a cannabis-related event in public venues in Anchorage."
Wheeler on Wednesday cited two reasons for the decision to ban marijuana from municipal facilities during events. First, the desire to see state law and regulation in place to ensure that "whatever is there is grown and processed legally," he said.
Initiative language does not allow for marijuana use, possession or display in a commercial context, Wheeler said.
Secondly, Wheeler said, the municipality needed to confirm that marijuana use or possession would not violate provisions of federal funding supplied to some municipal facilities, as marijuana remains illegal under federal law.
But, Wheeler said, the municipality also has no plans to research whether such possession or display violates federal grants for any facilities.
"I'm not going to spend municipal resources or taxpayer dollars … until I know there are state laws in place," he said.
When asked whether, under the language of the letter, possession of marijuana would be prohibited in all municipal facilities, Wheeler said that "if somebody had some in their possession … that by itself would not necessarily be a violation of law."
Wheeler said the letter was not meant "to address every single scenario," and that the purpose of the letter was not to address individual possession of marijuana in municipal facilities.
Cory Wray, organizer for the Northwest Cannabis Classic, slated for May 15-17 at the Dena'ina Civic and Convention Center, stated that he received a copy of the letter from the center's property managers.
Wray said the event would go forward regardless, but having a marijuana event without pot "doesn't make a lot of sense," he said.
"We're asking the city to have a special event permit to allow us to display it," Wray said, and added that the organization was working with the mayor's office, Anchorage Assembly members and various city agencies. He noted that event organizers can currently obtain permits to serve alcohol in the city's convention centers, despite bans on public consumption similar to those applying to marijuana.
In regards to the display of marijuana in a commercial context, Wray said, "there's nothing in the law that makes it illegal. People can have up to 1 ounce on them."
"It's going to be professional, it's educational, we're trying to do it the right way, for the right reasons … the only people who would lose here are the people of Anchorage," Wray said.