The first retail cannabis shops and product manufacturers were given the green light by regulators in Alaska, the Alaska Dispatch News reports. The Marijuana Control Board approved a total of 11 cannabis businesses licenses with another five scheduled to be considered at the next board meeting on Sept. 19.
The Fairbanks-based Frozen Budz was the first company approved for both a retail and production manufacturing license. They have already received approval from local officials and are currently waiting on state inspections of both their retail and product manufacturing sites. They anticipate opening in October.
“I don’t even know, it’s amazing,” Destiny Neade, co-owner of Frozen Budz said after the approval. “We’re excited; we’re ready to open and ready to bring the voter initiative to life.”
Enlighten Alaska, Arctic Herbery, Alaska Buds, Raspberry Roots and Frost Farms, all in Anchorage, were also approved by the board; along with Pakalolo Supply Co. in Fairbanks; Girdwood’s The Herbal Cache; Herbal Outfitters in Valdez; Rainforest Farms in Juneau; Skagway’s Remedy Shoppe; and Weed Dudes in Sitka.
When the shops will open depends on local regulations, which will not permit all of them to begin operations at the same time. Crops are still not ready and testing facilities still need to be in place before any products are made available for sale.