Conservative

Jackson: Alaskan Republicans should support weed referendum

With all the coverage of the upcoming 2014 midterm elections, it is easy to forget that there are smaller but important legislative battle that are happening, such as the upcoming referendum in Alaska on the legalization of marijuana.

The referendum faces some pretty considerable opposition in Alaska from state Republicans. Interestingly enough, there is support from the GOP on the measure, but only in the higher levels of the Republican Party, such as Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) who supports legalization and Rick Perry, governor of Texas, who supports decriminalization. Alaska Dispatch News reported on Oct. 5, that former Alaska Republican Gov. Frank Murkowski wrote an editorial stating, “If Ballot Measure 2 passes; it would establish a dual system. It would be unlawful to buy or sell marijuana under federal law but permissible under state law. Such an inconsistency has the federal government telling us one thing and the state government telling us another.”

Murkowski’s belief is actually a complete abandonment of the Republican Party’s values of small government and individual liberty. It also doesn’t make much economic sense. To uphold GOP values and at the same time appeal to younger voters and boost Alaska’s economy, the state Republicans in Alaska should get on board with the legalization of marijuana.

The referendum allows voters to decide if adults can possess one ounce of marijuana and maintain six plants. The measure would make producing and selling marijuana legal while also taxing it.

Alaskan Republicans are at odds with the national Republican elite on this issue, who are actively trying to promote a more inclusive and libertarian Republican Party in order to attract younger voters.



The GOP wants to attract younger, independents on a national level in order to boost its votes going into 2016. It is already making headway on same-sex marriage, acting in a less antagonistic role toward the ideal of marriage equality and in most cases, simply stepping out of the way. Younger voters in Alaska want weed legalized. They are currently underrepresented in polls and, while the Democrat push to increase Alaska’s minimum wage will bring them to the polls, supporting weed legalization will be a great way to steal some votes. Independents want weed legalized, with 70 percent of them supporting weed legalization.

Other than voters, weed legalization has many tangible benefits for Alaska. For example, Colorado expects to bring in $184 million in new, taxable revenue after legalizing marijuana, according to CNN. This legislation would also create jobs and help boost and diversify Alaska’s resource dependent economy where 85 percent of the state’s revenue comes from oil. It would also cut down on the amount of money Alaska spends on trying to enforce it’s weed laws, nearly $8.5 million dollars, according to a Friday Vox article.

On Nov. 4, the people of Alaska will be the ones to decide if marijuana becomes legal. But if Alaskan politicians want to seem more progressive and in touch with independents, they’ll show their support for this referendum to legalize weed. Job creation and economic diversification are great side benefits to supporting the referendum. It will also give more power to the state of Alaska by letting it operate under it’s own laws and not bowing to the federal government.

Rami Jackson is a junior  entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises  and policy studies major. His column appears weekly. He can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @IsRamicJ.





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