Alaska Dispensaries Close Due to Medical Marijuana Shortage

Alaska appears to be dry. The state’s retail marijuana shops had to lock their doors because they’re out of product. Pakalolo Supply Co., Frozen Budz and GoodSinse are awaiting a new wholesale order to come in.

It’s a statewide shortage, many dispenaries have had to temporarily close until supplies are replenished, according to Adn.com. Frozen Budz, in Fairbanks, has been shut down for a month already. They expect to be able to open their doors at the end of January. Frozen Budz co-owner Destiny Neade said, “We left Fairbanks dry.”

The Pakalolo store will be harvesting its own crop and will re-open mid-January, as the harvest is ready, according to co-owner Keenan Hollister. GoodSince was only open for 19 days before it ran out of flower, according to its co-owner Daniel Peters. Hollister says it’s just a supply and demand issue – which other states, like Washington, have also experienced.

There are 26 growers in Alaska, but 8 are restricted to using only 500-square feet of canopy. That restricts production, but not all of the state’s growers have harvested a crop yet either.

Neade said, “You can’t rush a plant.”

Anchorage cultivators weren’t able to plant earlier than other locations, so much of their crops are still waiting to be harvested and cured. Marijuana has been coming in from Fairbanks and Kenai to Anchorage shops because their local crops haven’t been made available yet.

Arctic Herbery is also out of dry flower, but they are still open. They’re able to sell edibles and clones, owner Bryant Thorp said. His crop should be ready for store shelves this week.

Supply is available, but low at Dankorage and Alaska Fireweed.

Dankorage co-owner Craig Aglietti said, “It’s kind of a little bit cutthroat out there right now.”

Co-owner of Greatland Ganja Leif Abel said, “At this point companies are offering to prepay for our crop for the next year.”

Most stores are expecting to be fully stocked by month’s end and solutions to the shortage are in-place with more cultivators operating and retail shops growing their own.