Written by: Jason Brandeis
On July 28-29, I attended the Cannabis Law Institute (http://www.canbar.org/cli/), held at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. This conference and continuing legal education event was put on by the National Cannabis Bar Association and the Sturm College of Law. This event provided an opportunity for all attendees (including practitioners, academics, and policy advocates) to engage with one another and learn more about developments in marijuana law and policy, best industry practices, and to identify and discuss emerging issues.
I was invited to provide a perspective on Alaska marijuana law as part of a panel discussion titled The Laws and Regulatory Systems of the Western States. My presentation included a history of marijuana regulation in Alaska, an overview of Alaska’s current regulatory and licensing framework, and a discussion of the unique challenges and controversies the industry faces in Alaska, such as lack of access to banking services and transportation difficulties faced by marijuana businesses that are “off the road system.” In addition to giving a presentation, I was able to attend seminars that covered a variety of topics, including business law issues, legal ethics, constitutional implications of marijuana legalization, federal oversight of state marijuana industries, and updates on the marijuana laws of other states.