First Alaska recreational marijuana licenses issued

Alaska has begun issuing the first business licenses for its upcoming recreational cannabis industry, a key step in the launch of the state’s adult-use MJ market.

The first two licenses were issued Thursday afternoon at a meeting of the state’s Marijuana Control Board, which approved permits for a pair of testing labs that were first on the agenda, the Alaska Dispatch News reported.

The first, for Anchorage-based CannTest, was approved unanimously by the five-member board, and now requires local approval from the city. The second, for AK Green Labs, was approved unanimously, too.

Also on the board’s agenda: 18 cultivation facility licenses, many of which may have to wait until today for formal approval, the Dispatch News reported.

Licenses will be issued on a rolling basis by the board, with retail shop permits slated to be handed out starting in September, according to the Associated Press.

Update: The board also issued eight cultivation licenses on Thursday, according to KTUU.