Cannabis Dispensaries in Juneau, Alaska

Juneau, Alaska boasts perhaps the most fascinating cannabis culture in the country. Despite its remoteness -- or perhaps because of it -- the city enjoyed legal recreational cannabis decades before the rest of the U.S. However, cannabis laws in Juneau have changed in recent years, and it is important to know the current regulations around Alaska before buying and consuming any cannabis product in the Last Frontier.

Cannabis Laws to Know in Juneau

In 1975, Alaska’s Supreme Court ruled that adults have privacy rights that protect the possession of small amounts of personal cannabis at home. Though the law has been challenged in various ways in the more than 45 years since, most Alaskan authorities have not aggressively prosecuted discreet cannabis consumption on private property.

Despite being a notoriously conservative state, Alaska was among the first states to enact a medical cannabis program in 1998 and develop legislation for recreational cannabis in 2014. Read on to learn more about the laws in Juneau and beyond.

Recreational and Adult-Use Cannabis

The Alaska Supreme Court ruling in Ravin v. State opened the door for legal consumption, but the law did not permit cannabis cultivation or sales. Thus, in 2014, Measure 2 codified recreational cannabis in the state, ensuring that adults aged 21 and over can purchase and possess up to an ounce of cannabis, which can be procured through state-regulated retail stores. In Juneau, a dispensary is typically the same as a retail cannabis storefront.

Medical Marijuana

In 1998, Alaskan voters approved Measure 8, thereby creating the state’s medical marijuana program. Today, participants in the program must register with the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services to obtain a Medical Marijuana Registry (MMR) card. Patients are typically aged 18 years or older, but minors can apply with the supervision of an adult caregiver. The card entitles patients to purchase and possess up to an ounce of dry flower.

Until the passage of Measure 2, Alaska’s medical marijuana program did not provide a method for patients to procure legal cannabis treatment. Even today, there are few Juneau marijuana dispensaries dedicated to medical patients; any Juneau dispensary will serve MMR cardholders.

How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Juneau

To obtain a MMR card, you first need to obtain a signed physician’s statement recommending cannabis for medical treatment. In Alaska, you are only permitted to visit a physician that has physically examined you within the past 16 months.

Unlike other states, Alaska requires applicants to make physical copies of the application and their photo ID and mail the documents to the MMR. Additionally, applicants need to include a check or money order for $25, which pays for registration processing.

You will need to wait at least five weeks before you will be able to visit a Juneau dispensary with your MMR card, delivered through the mail. If your application is rejected, you will need to wait at least six months before reapplying, which requires a brand-new physician’s statement.

Where Is It Legal to Consume Cannabis in Juneau?

Alaska law states that public consumption of cannabis is strictly prohibited, and using any cannabis products in view of the public could subject you to a $100 fine. As a result, most Alaskans choose to use cannabis at home, and visitors use within 420-friendly accommodations.

Fortunately, Alaska does permit certain establishments to allow onsite consumption — which means you can usually legally spark up at a Juneau dispensary. Most dispensaries that permit onsite use have created a comfortable social lounge, where you can relax and spend time with other patrons.

Cannabis Cultivation Laws in Juneau

In addition to purchasing from a Juneau dispensary, adults 21 and over are allowed to grow up to six cannabis plants at home, as long as only three are flowering at a time. A household with multiple of-age adults can grow up to 12 plants, with six flowering. Plants cannot be grown within public view. Any cannabis produced from home-cultivated plants can be stored at home legally and given — not sold — in small quantities to friends and family.

How to Buy Cannabis at a Juneau Dispensary

Most Juneau dispensaries are open from around 10AM to 10PM. Juneau does permit curbside pickup and home delivery within dispensary hours of operation. Medical marijuana users and recreational users alike cannot purchase more than 1 ounce of dry cannabis or more than 3 grams of concentrates, and many Juneau dispensaries only accept cash payments.

How Much Does Cannabis Cost in Juneau?

At a dispensary in Juneau, Alaska, you can expect to pay anywhere between $15 and $25 for a gram of dry flower. Concentrates and other processed products like vape cartridges will have higher price tags.

Cannabis Taxes in Juneau

Alaska is the only state to place the onus of taxation on growers as opposed to cannabis buyers and users. Cultivators pay taxes when they sell or transfer their product to manufacturers or retail shops. Thus, as an average cannabis consumer, you are unlikely to experience the effect of drastically inflated prices at checkout.