Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott has turned down a proposed change to marijuana regulations that would have made it easier for southeast and rural Alaska communities to comply with testing requirements.
The Ketchikan Daily News reports Mallott signed testing regulations drafted by the Alaska Marijuana Control Board Friday. The rules were approved without a provision that would have allowed alternative testing requirements for communities off the road system.
As the state moves closer to accepting marijuana license applications, there remains a challenge for island communities with access to testing facilities.
State rules require marijuana to be tested before businesses can sell it, and federal law prohibits air and water transportation of cannabis.
Testing equipment can also carry six-figure price tags, which may be out of reach for the smaller communities.
