Fairbanks city councilman David Pruhs is sponsoring an ordinance that would ban marijuana clubs. Clubs, which do not sell the drug, but provide paying members a venue for its consumption, are not currently covered by state regulations, but the state marijuana control board is looking at requiring them to be licensed, like cannabis retailers. Pruhs says his ordinance would allow for clubs licensed as part of retail operations.
“We’ll be amending the city code for public use for that. So anyone who wants to have a marijuana club in the city of Fairbanks, go out and get a retail license and add it to your marijuana club.”
Pruhs says retail license status would put clubs under the same regulations as other marijuana businesses, including local zoning.
Fairbanks’ only marijuana Club, “The Higher Calling,” is across the street from a downtown daycare, a location that would violate borough zoning if it were a retail operation. The club’s owners have said they’re considering relocation, and will get a license if required to.
The city marijuana club prohibition ordinance is being introduced at tonight’s Fairbanks City Council meeting.
Dan Bross is a reporter at KUAC in Fairbanks.
