Application System for Marijuana Establishment Licenses Recently Unveiled
March 10, 2016
Individuals who are interested in applying for a marijuana establishment license should visit the AMCO website for guidance on the process; they should also read the application instructions before initiating an application. It is critical that all prospective licensees read and understand the regulations. Answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) are being added on the AMCO website regularly. A training video about the marijuana establishment license application process is also available on the AMCO website. On February 24th, the first day the system was available, 68 applications were initiated. The Marijuana Control Board (MCB) is not limited in the number of marijuana licenses it can issue at the state level. There is no deadline to apply for a marijuana establishment license; the MCB will accept applications on a rolling basis and will review applications for licenses at its regularly scheduled meetings throughout the year. The public can expect to begin seeing public notices regarding prospective marijuana establishments this week. As with alcoholic beverage license applications, prospective marijuana establishment licensees must post a copy of their application at the business location and advertise in the local newspaper for three weeks; after the notice period is complete, supplemental documents can be submitted to the AMCO. For those applications that were initiated in February, the AMCO anticipates beginning to review for completeness in mid-March. When the AMCO deems applications complete, they will forward them to the local government with jurisdiction over the proposed licensed premises. The local government has 60 days from the date of receipt of the notice to file a protest to the application. Prospective licensees should check with their local government about zoning and regarding the presence of local restrictions on the time, place, manner and number of marijuana licenses. The MCB will issue testing and cultivation facility licenses first. The MCB anticipates approving the first testing and cultivation licenses by early June 2016. Product manufacturing and retail store licenses will be processed and reviewed next; the MCB anticipates approving the first product manufacturing and retail store licenses in September 2016. The sequential issuing of license types is necessary so that legally grown, tested and tracked marijuana is available before product manufacturing and retail licensees begin operation. After reading the regulations, reviewing the application instructions and FAQs, and watching the video, individuals who have additional questions can email marijuana@alaska.gov or refer to the AMCO website to schedule an appointment to meet with staff. The Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office, along with the Division of Banking and Securities, the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, the Division of Insurance, and the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, is an agency housed within the Alaska State Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development tasked with protecting consumers in Alaska.
Edited by Mary Kauffman, SitNews
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