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Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy is bringing back a marijuana advocate to the state cannabis regulatory board, a move welcomed by an industry that successfully fought his attempt to install an MJ critic.
Dunleavy’s office said he appointed Bruce Schulte to the Marijuana Control Board.
Schulte was involved in the 2014 initiative that legalized adult-use marijuana in Alaska.
Cary Carrigan, executive director of the Alaska Marijuana Industry Association, praised Schulte’s appointment and said the message he sensed from the administration is that it wants the state’s cannabis industry to succeed.
“This certainly appears to be a step in that direction, and if that is the goal, then I’m happy to help,” Carrigan said.
Schulte previously served on the state cannabis board and was a chair but was removed in 2016 by then-Gov. Bill Walker reportedly over a disagreement about approach.
The appointment of Schulte follows a couple of moves by Dunleavy that had rattled the industry.
Earlier this year, the Republican governor said he hoped to scrap the state cannabis regulatory body altogether.
Also, Dunleavy appointed marijuana critic Vivian Stiver to a seat that had been held by Brandon Emmett, an industry representative.
Stiver was involved in a failed 2017 effort to ban marijuana operations in Fairbanks.
The Alaska Marijuana Industry Association campaigned against her appointment, and state lawmakers fell one vote short of confirming her.
– Associated Press and Marijuana Business Daily
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