Irwin Ravin was the grandfather that lead Alaska’s marijuana movement.
For years Alaska has been a hot spot for controversy regarding marijuana legalization and status. We were the last of the 50-state union to place prohibition on marijuana but we were also the first to fight for its legalization in the early 70’s. Alaska has its own constitution that in the fall of 1972 Irwin Raven put to the test. Irwin Raven started the long fight for marijuana legalization in Alaska. He would be known as the grandfather of the Alaska marijuana legalization movement.
Irwin Ravin was pulled over for a broken taillight in Anchorage, and was discovered to be in possession of marijuana. A local police officer wrote him a ticket, but Rain refused to sign it and held the marijuana in his hand until he was arrest. Thus Ravin v. State was initiated and would end up setting legal precedence for decades to come.
By 1975 the Alaska legislature voted for the decriminalization of the long-debated drug. If a Alaskan was in possession of one ounce or less in public, or in possession of any amount in the privacy of ones home, he or she could not by fined more than $100.
Just over a week later lawmakers decriminalized the personal use of marijuana, the state of Alaska reached a decision in Ravin’s case, setting a precedent that would complicate laws against marijuana from then until 2014.
Alaska marijuana legalization would go back and forth for the next 30 years.
Over the next 30 years Alaska would teeter totter between legalization and criminalization. In 2000 Measure 5 would have regulated the drug like alcohol and allow residents over 18 to farm and possess their own supply and would have granted amnesty to those serving time for marijuana. We were once again on the right path. However, the measure failed to gain enough support, losing 59.1 percent to 40.9 percent.
By 2006 Former Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski would go toe to toe against the Ravin v. State decision. He made the possession of one to four ounces of pot a misdemeanor and punishable by up to one year in jail. He argued that today’s marijuana available by the mid-2000’s was much stronger than what Rain was smoking in the 70’s.
Unfortunately, April 11th, 2010 Ravin died at age 70 from complications caused by a massive heart attack. He would never see the start of the recreational industry.
The last attempt to legalize that paved the way for Green Jar.
By 2013, we were back at it again. Petitioners were once again looking for signatures to legalize, tax an regulate marijuana like alcohol. The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana turned in more than 45,000 signatures in support of the ballot measure in January 2014. Lt. Governor Mead Treadwell approved the voter initiative to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana, to appear on the August 19th 2014 ballot.
November 14th, 2014 will be a day I never forget. Alaskans voted to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana. By February 2015 AS.17.38 was put in place and the Marijuana Control Board was appointed. October 2016 our first recreation shop opened in Valdez. And by March 25th, 2017 Green Jar was the first marijuana retail to open in the Matanuska Susitna Borough.
Alaska marijuana legal limits.
At Green Jar we can sell you up to an ounce of flower a day (28 grams), 7 grams of concentrate or 5600 milligrams of edibles. You heard me right FIFTY SIX HUNDRED MILIGRAMS of edibles. That’s 56 packages at the legal limit of a 100 milligrams per package. That’s a whole lot of edibles! Stop by and pick up your Alaskan legal cannabis here at Green Jar.
Moral of the story. Never say never.